UPM × Paramelt: introducing a bio-based food packaging concept with strong grease protection

UPM Specialty Materials x Paramelt

How co‑creation helps to renew the everyday

Fibre‑based barrier solution for bakery, fast food and convenience food applications.
Combines UPM Solide™ Lucent or UPM Prego™ barrier base papers with Paramelt Aquavate™ Bio SB 2383, a bio‑based, biodegradable heat‑seal and barrier coating.
Strong grease protection and reliable heat‑sealing, even at low coating weights.
Runs efficiently on existing converting and packaging lines, including VFFS.
Designed for recyclability and consisting of components individually validated as home compostable, enabling improved end‑of‑life performance.

A fibre‑based solution designed for demanding end‑uses

Brand owners and converters are increasingly seeking fibre‑based alternatives for food packaging, especially for greasy, on‑the‑go foods. These applications typically rely on fossil‑based plastic coatings or laminates to achieve effective grease barriers and seal integrity.

Through co‑creation, UPM and Paramelt set out to develop a paper‑based food packaging concept that delivers the performance required for demanding applications, while significantly improving end‑of‑life performance.

Bio-based by design: advanced barrier papers meet bio‑based coating technology

The co‑created concept pairs UPM Solide™ Lucent or UPM Prego™ barrier base papers, engineered specifically as substrates for barrier coatings, with Paramelt Aquavate™ Bio SB 2383, a water-based coating formulated exclusively from biodegradable components.

The result is a high‑performance, fibre‑based packaging solution that:

Strong grease resistance at low coating weights
Reliable heat‑sealing suitable for food packaging applications
Compatibility with existing converting and packaging equipment, including vertical form‑fill‑seal (VFFS) lines
A recyclable, paper‑based structure with improved end‑of‑life performance

The paper‑based structure is designed to fit existing paper recycling streams, and the individual components have been validated as home compostable.

Co‑creation driving sustainable innovation

The UPM × Paramelt collaboration demonstrates how co‑creation helps accelerate the development of fibre‑based packaging solutions that balance performance, scalability and sustainability.

“Our collaboration with Paramelt enables us to offer a bio‑based packaging concept with strong grease protection and proven performance on packaging lines. Achieving this level of grease resistance at such low coat weights is highly challenging even with fossil‑based coatings,” says Christiane Laine, Senior Researcher, UPM Innovation.

“Brand owners and converters are seeking scalable technologies that integrate easily into current production setups. Aquavate™ Bio SB 2383 is designed for reliable performance on standard coating processes and existing converting lines, enabling a practical shift toward recyclable, home‑compostable fibre‑based solutions,” says Leon Krings, Business Development Manager, Packaging Coatings & Adhesives, Paramelt.

By combining expertise in advanced barrier papers and bio‑based coating technologies, the partners have created a food packaging concept that supports the transition toward more sustainable packaging.

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