These papers are used for protecting and enclosing products. They are mostly shaped into boxes or bags, which allows a broad range of diversity for both lightweight and heavier packaging. Recycled fibers can be used to produce packaging papers, which require strength in their composition.
These papers are used to package a wide variety of products from drugs to foodstuffs, including beverages and frozen products. They are also used for other purposes, such as lining walls and manufacturing envelopes.
Impermeability and the other characteristics required for direct contact with food and other products are defined by industrial paper treatment process and by combining paper with other materials such as plastics and metals.
The main types of paper used for packaging are used in the following groups of applications:
Corrugated Containerboard
Packaging paper used to manufacture cardboard and boxes. It can be further classified:
Fluting
Corrugated paper used in the core of the cardboard.
Kraftliner
Paper manufactured with a large proportion of virgin fibers, which makes it resistant enough to form the face or lining of corrugated cardboard boxes.
Testliner
Like kraftliner, but less resistant because of the large proportion of recycled materials used in its production.
White Top Liner
White paper manufactured with a large proportion of virgin fibers, meeting the resistance specifications required to form part of corrugated cardboard boxes.
Kraft paper
Packaging paper characterized by mechanical strength. It can be classified as:
Natural kraft for multi-ply bags
Essentially produced from softwood pulp, this paper has high tearing strength and good bursting strength. It is mostly used for bags and large-scale industrial packaging.
Extensible kraft
Essentially produced from softwood pulp, this paper possesses high tearing strength and tensile strength. It is used to produce paper bags for packaging.
Natural or colored kraft for other purposes
This paper is produced from softwood pulp, and can be monolucid or smoothed, with similar strength characteristics as natural kraft for multi-ply bags. This paper is used to produce smaller bags and packaging in general.
White or colored kraft
Essentially produced from softwood pulp, monolucid or smoothed, this paper forms the outer ply of multi-ply bags, sugar and flour sacks. Depending on its weight, it can also be used for individually packaging candies and chocolates.
Grade A kraft
This packaging paper is similar to natural or colored kraft, but is less resistant. Can be monolucid or non-monolucid; it is usually used for small bags.
Grade B kraft
Similar to grade A kraft, but with lower resistance. This paper is used for wrapping and packaging in general.
Lightweight packaging
these papers can be classified as:
Stowage Paper and Spot Paper
Essentially produced from waste paper, this paper has a natural, grayish color. It is used in packaging without presentation requirements, colors and cones.
Tissue Paper
White or colored packaging paper used for lightweight packaging, wrapping art objects, interleaving, ornamentation, fruit protection, etc.
Glassine Paper
The main characteristic of this paper is translucence, which is obtained through high levels of refining during the production process. Glassine paper is used in food packaging, to protect fruit in trees, and in self-adhesive paper.
Greaseproof Paper
This translucent paper is highly impermeable to oil, and is consequently used for packaging products containing fats or oils.