Finnish pulp and paper company Stora Enso has announced that its New Natura liquid packaging board enhanced with micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) provides extra strength and lower weight for the products.
Image: Stora Enso’s New Natura liquid packaging board provides extra strength and lower weight for products. Photo: courtesy of Stora Enso.
New Natura by Stora Enso was first introduced in milk cartons in 2015, and is currently available for any customers aiming to reduce the weight and optimise the sustainability of their packaging.
Stora Enso product manager Vesa-Pekka Aaltonen said: “New Natura enhanced with MFC delivers the best in product protection as well as printing, converting and filling performance but at a lower weight. It helps packaging manufacturers and consumer brands to use fewer raw materials, create less waste and lower their package weights.
“For consumers, the carton remains similar and easy to recycle, which is very important for today’s eco-aware consumers.”
Stora Enso is said to operate the world’s largest MFC production facilities at its Imatra Mills in Finland.
MFC features the same basic chemistry as cellulose fibres but consists of smaller particles known as micro fibrils that will help improve the strength of the board.
New Natura enhanced with MFC is suitable for any gable top liquid packaging applications, including dairy products, juice, other beverages, soups and spices.
The company is offering the product with PE or high-barrier coating, based on the product packed and the barrier properties needed to protect it.
Aaltonen further added: “Stora Enso has been a pioneer in the development of MFC for decades, and today we can tailor the fibres to fit for purpose.
“Our MFC makes the fibre mesh stronger, so we can reduce weight without compromising the stiffness, strength or other board properties that are vital for the packaging performance.”
In May this year, Stora Enso introduced Cupforma Natura Solo, a renewable paperboard designed for paper cups and ensure effective recycling.
Produced without a traditional plastic coating layer, the new paperboard material is suitable for hot and cold drinking cups, as well as for ice cream packaging. It is designed for full fiber recovery in a recycling process.