Sylvicta Offers Endless Packaging Applications

Sylvicta is a leader in the new era of sustainable packaging; a natural, translucent paper, made free of any harmful chemicals and from sustainable wood sources. It has remarkable barrier properties for oxygen, aromas, oils and grease, making it a game-changing alternative replacement for plastics in packaging. Recyclable and compostable, these endless applications across the packaging industry can make the essential transfer from plastics to paper in packaging possible. 

Supporting A New Era For Packaging 

Packaging has become an essential part of our daily consumer lives. However, the pollution caused by packaging has become a significant obstacle to achieving a sustainable circular economy. 

It is crucial for businesses to switch to sustainable packaging in order to reduce the negative impact on the environment caused by plastics. With the world producing 380 million tonnes of plastic packaging per year and 40% of plastic demand coming from packaging production, it is urgent that companies replace plastics. But the transition has been slow due to challenges in finding alternative materials that meet technical packaging requirements such as preserving foods, extending their shelf life, and containing aromas. Plastic, metal, and glass have been used for their barrier properties for over a century, but this, too, has resulted in detrimental environmental pollution and accelerated climate change. 

Many businesses are responding quickly to the increasing demands for sustainability from customers. Longitude, an FT company, conducted a survey of 200 businesses and 1,500 consumers in the UK, revealing that packaging is now at the forefront of the battle to establish sustainability credentials. Over two-thirds of businesses surveyed (68%) identified packaging as their biggest sustainability challenge. Interestingly, parts of the Asian market is also seeing significant change in this area. According to Global Data, China’s market volume of sustainable packaging reached 26.1 million metric tonnes in 2021, reflecting the rising sustainability concerns in the world’s biggest consumer market. 

Endless Applications In Replacing Plastic With Paper 

In various global industries, ranging from food and beverages to luxury packaging, Sylvicta’s exceptional properties offer brand-owners and packaging designers the opportunity to substitute numerous applications of plastics, metals, and glass with an eco-friendly, paper-based solution. 

Sylvicta can be converted into numerous formats, including sealed bags, pouches, packets, lids, wrapping, seals, windows, films, labels, flow-packs, inserts and envelopes. It can also be used for laminating to paperboards and other materials, working as a barrier against mineral oils and replacing petroleum-based polymers.  

Its translucency supports its versatility, making windowed packaging a possibility whilst maintaining a lightweight product, saving transport costs. It is also suitable for all major print processes such as offset, flexography, embossing, hot foiling and die-cutting. 

New applications for Sylvicta are being found every day and its R&D team works continuously with packaging converters around the world to find bespoke and sustainable solutions. 

With functionality such as hot & cold seal ability, UV light protection, wet strength, increased transparency and an enhanced moisture barrier can be achieved with Sylvicta.

It’s well-known that transformative and niche innovation within packaging can be complex to get accreditation.  But because Sylvicta is already certified around the world, particularly as a food-safe material, brand-owners and retailers have mainstream material converters that are comfortable trialling and using it. This enables Sylvicta to be more easily explored as a viable alternative to plastic. 

The challenge to adapt to sustainable packaging is undeniably huge. Even companies with the biggest resources are having to make significant investments. Confirming this is Nestlé, which has pledged that all of its packaging will be 100 per cent recyclable or reusable by 2025, adjusting 5,000 production lines in more than 400 factories across all the company’s brands. Speaking to The Times in the UK, Véronique Cremades-Mathis, Nestlé’s global head of sustainable packaging, says making this sort of effort is no longer optional. “If you don’t demonstrate your commitment to sustainability, whether it’s the container or the content, you will not be chosen [by customers].” 

Sylvicta Is Available Now 

Available to order for samples, testing and production, Sylvicta is available in weights as low as 42gsm and up to 180gsm and can be delivered to converters in reels or sheets. Using this innovative, natural material with remarkable barrier properties and endless applications is the most sustainable way to replace plastics with paper in packaging.