New fully recyclable, fibre based foam for protective packaging

Packaging Solutions Green Solutions

Plastic packaging materials such as fossil based foams seem increasingly outdated in a society that is striving to reduce plastic use and waste and move towards renewable materials. With regulatory bodies now driving a policy towards limiting or banning fossil based foam materials in packaging, new solutions are needed.

Papira by Stora Enso is a novel lightweight foam made from pulp fibres. The semi-rigid foam has a high cushioning performance and is suitable as protective packaging for a wide range of products. It can be designed and cut with precision for optimal size and protection, even for complex shapes and packaging sizes.

Papira offers a fully paper recyclable and plastic free alternative to traditional fossil based packaging foams, such as polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE) and expanded polystyrene (EPS). It is designed to be recycled as paper, but if Papira exits the circular material stream, it will biodegrade. Recycling easy, and it allows the consumer to put the whole package in the same curbside collection bin.

The Papira pilot plant has been operational at Stora Enso’s Fors Mill since November 2021.The wood based raw materials are sourced from sustainably managed forests in the Nordics and manufactured in a 100% fossil free production process in which only air and water are used for foaming the material. No solvents, blowing agents or hazardous chemicals are used.

As a completely new material, Papira is currently being assessed to obtain certifications of recyclability and biodegradability. Furthermore, the environmental impact is being measured to quantify how it can improve the carbon footprint of packaging. The performance of Papira in packaging applications is tested in Stora Enso’s PackTester lab, an ISTA certified test lab, to ensure product protection.