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What is Kraft Paper in Packaging – Types, Pros And Cons

Last Updated on August 11, 2023 by Steve Harsh

Kraft paper is the new norm companies love using for their boxes. It can make a great impact on your boxes. You can also use it for your customers and clients. So, if you are a business owner, a manufacturer, or provide packaging, you need to know why you must try this one out.

This blog will give you amazing materials, benefits, features, uses, and types. Also, you will learn how it benefits the environment. At the same time, you will get the top academic studies that will tell you why they matter.

What Is Kraft Paper?

Kraft paper is one of the best materials for making boxes for your customers and clients without being harsh to the environment. This material type comes from wood pulp and allows it to get reliable strength. Also, it would offer you great durability with resistance to tear.

Using new technologies has helped manufacturers and entrepreneurs get eco-friendly yet cost-effective solutions. It is also famous for its versatility, ensuring its use for multiple applications.

Some General Benefits of Kraft Paper

When it comes to this material, it has a range of benefits, like better protection, strength, and looks. Also, if you want to find out if kraft paper is eco-friendly, the answer is a big fat yes! At the same time, it offers versatility and cost-effectiveness. It would also be a good material for customization and printability features.

Butcher Paper Vs. Kraft Paper

Regarding the difference between the two, you will find that butcher paper has different properties. Its production method is similar, but still, there are some process differences.

For instance, you can get it from wood pulp, but they are non-sticky, which can help you with food products. So when we compare it to kraft paper, it is useful for printing and packaging needs. At the same time, it offers great strength that makes it special against other ones.

Types of Kraft Paper

There is a long range of this material you can try out for your business, and that is why you need to know them. Here are some:

Natural Kraft Paper

It is material worth trying if you need something heavy-duty in this domain. At the same time, it would offer eco-friendly solutions; you can use it. Also, it would offer you good results with their biodegradability and origin. They come from renewable wood pulp, and there are fewer chances of them getting high cost.

It will be worth trying if you are looking for a solution that helps you with customizability.

The use of this material also makes it more versatile than other ones in the business. For instance, it offers solutions like wrapping paper, paper bags, and envelopes. We will further discuss its use in the coming sections.

On the other hand, they would ensure you get the best aesthetical appeal you would look to have for your business. Also, they deliver amazing appeal with their rustic feel that customers would like to buy them for. So, another reason for your customers and clients to try this material.

Cons of Natural Kraft Paper

Now, you may love them for their amazing pros, but what about the cons they come with? So, here is what you need to know about the cons of natural kraft paper:

Cons

• They come in a brown color when you use them without any coloring. So, they may not be very appealing to some eyes.
• Also, their use may not be a good choice for many products due to their moisture control issues. It has pores that allow moisture inside boxes that come from this material. So, using it for electronics, cosmetics, and other moisture-sensitive products may be an issue.
• Food products may also not be a good use of boxes made of natural kraft paper. Such products can get air, water, and other contaminants into your boxes.

Bleached Kraft Paper

Some customers would love the color it offers; it can be aesthetically appealing with its bright white color. Also, its printability distinguishes it from other choices in the same niche. When we compare it to natural kraft paper, it will work well to offer smoothness.

So, it would be easier to print when you can add the best images to enhance results with impressive looks. Another benefit it would bring for your boxes is the barrier properties it would offer.

So, next time you need them to keep your products safe against moisture or other contaminants, you can try them out. This property comes from the wax or polyethylene coating it offers your boxes.

Also, its use goes into a wide range of products and has amazing versatility. It would work for food, gifts, and industrial needs, so no worries. On the other hand, the level of consistency you expect from such products would be higher with such boxes.

Some Cons To Know

It does offer you to get the best out of your packaging jobs; still, it may not offer everything you need. So, here are some cons of bleached kraft paper you need to keep in mind before using it:

• Some extra costs go into its production compared to other materials in this domain. So, it may cost you more than the natural type we discussed, a con for sure.
• Its use may not be as good as other materials when saving your environment. The reason? You cannot get the best out of them by using chlorine and other harsh materials that can negatively impact you.
• Also, it may be considered less available for some reasons, making it difficult.

Poly-Coated Kraft Paper

When you want to try boxes for your clients and customers, you can try them for their resistance properties. Here are some resistance properties they possess:

• Boxes made with them would be safe against a certain level of resistance.
• Also, you can try it out when you need resistance against greasy and similar content.
• At the same time, it provides you protection against chemical resistance.

The chemical used on them can enhance their durability, making them better with an ability to avoid wear and tear. Still, their versatility allows them to be set into multiple packaging applications.

Cons of This Material

• Its coating can be a reason for them to be difficult to recycle. So, the thing is, the coating can be difficult to remove that can be a barrier against the ease of the recycling process.
• You may consider it less cost-effective due to its extra coating material.

Wax-Coated Type

It is a great material if you are looking for solutions against greasy stuff. So, it would work for many food products that other materials in the same domain may not offer. This is why it can be a great choice for your clients and customers.

Also, you can get better moldability with this material, enhancing the applications you get with them. At the same time, it would offer you better protection from contaminants. Also, you can use it for better customizability for your boxes.

Its use would also offer you a better appearance, allowing you to get a high-end look. On the other hand, you also get better printability with this material as it does not cause any smudges. Also, it would help you keep your products safer for longer, improving your overall results.

Cons

• One of the biggest issues with this material is its recyclability issues. So, they may not be recyclable at every facility for such processes, which makes them less reliable.
• At the same time, they would not biodegrade, which means you may be environmentally harmful.
• One big con is that you may not use them for food products. The wax on this material would transfer to the food products you pack inside them.

How Is Kraft Paper Made?

Now, if you want to understand what this material comes from and how it can help you get the best features, here is what you need:

• The raw material of kraft paper comes from wood, and the process of getting it is called the kraft process.
• Then, you can mix sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide. This way, it would take lignin from cellulose.
• The pulp is used for washing, screening, and bleaching in the next step. This way, the pulp gets rid of impurities from the pulp.
• Then, you can feed the pulp into a paper machine that produces paper.
• This machine also takes an extra amount of water out of it.
• Next, it would go through several rollers and felt blankets that allow you to get rid of water content and dries it.
• Then, you can use this material to make a product that can help you get the best textures, colors, and weights. So, you can make new designs and colors with it.

What Is Kraft Paper Used For? Industries And Products!

Now, this amazing paper has a range of uses and works for multiple industries.

Here are some uses it works for:

• It works for business cards, book covers, and other printed materials.
• Also, you can try it out for food packaging, like sandwiches and burger packages.
• At the same time, it would work perfectly for the shipping industry.
• The industrial packaging industry also takes a lot from it as it is used for packaging heavy equipment and machinery.
• Its use would also work for furniture protection. You can try it out for such materials during your shipment.
• At the same time, it works well for greeting cards and invitations.
• Also, you can try it for gift-wrapping purposes, and it would offer eco-friendly solutions. Try out ribbons, stamps, or other materials with it.
• You can also crumble this material and use it for shipping purposes.
• Its use also allows you to create the outer part of corrugated boxes. You can use corrugated boxes for multiple uses and in multiple industries.
• At the same time, it can work as a void fill to protect more fragile products.

These uses can greatly impact whichever industry you want to use for it.

Future Trends in Kraft Paper

Using sustainable solutions is getting higher and higher, and kraft paper can offer that. Its use will increase in the future due to its ability to help the environment somehow. Also, researchers are studying this material to improve the usage of new technologies.

For instance, it can integrate with sensors, batteries, and other electronic devices. Also, its global market will increase by 3.7 % by 2025. Using new technologies such as coatings for this paper can improve the water-resistance features.

Studies have also shown that its use can be safe for many food products. Its use can be effective for vegetables, meat, fruits, and vegetables. Also, using this material can be a better alternative to other ones regarding energy spent on it.

At the same time, it would help reduce the production of greenhouse gases that would come into the game in other production processes.

Packaging Solutions That Boost Your Sales

If you are looking for impressive kraft paper labels or kraft paper stickers, you can get the best products from us. Your packaging is the main reason for your customers that you need to be sure to work with. So, next time you want packaging for your products or clients, you can get the perfect boxes to boost sales.