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Sappi has teamed up with Kapag to create Changemaker, a plastic-free packaging solution for food brands, as part of wider sustainability goals
Paper and materials provider, Sappi, has revealed details of Changemaker, a plastic-free solution developed with paper and paperboard manufacturer, Kapag.
Changemaker has been developed for food brands seeking plastic-free alternatives without compromising performance, combining Sappi's premium Algro Design paperboard or Fusion Topliner with AvantGuard functional barrier paper.
Kapag’s Changemaker brand of specially laminated paperboard products aims to replace or significantly reduce plastics in packaging. The solution delivers a 100% paper-based, mono-material, recyclable solution for food products, designed to eliminate the need for plastic-based alternatives.
The solution was first showcased at FachPack 2024, with the showcase example featuring a grease barrier for highly fatty food products including doughnuts.
The barrier concept has been designed to provide various types of protection including oxygen barriers, aroma protection, water vapour barriers, and protection against contaminants, while maintaining the printability and converting performance of Sappi's premium paperboards.
Alexander Meyer, managing director and owner of Kapag, says: "The food industry has been searching for packaging alternatives that don't sacrifice functionality.
“Our partnership with Sappi allows us to leverage their premium paperboard and barrier technologies with our specialised lamination expertise, creating packaging that meets both environmental goals and practical requirements for food safety."
The development of plastic-free solutions is part of Sappi’s goals to promote the sustainable practices of paper and board manufacture.
Sappi is also supporting a range of initiatives across Europe that address misconceptions about paper, aiming to highlight its environmental credentials.
In France, Sappi and a collective of graphic industry players have collaborated with the GMI (Groupement des métiers de l'Impression et de la Communication) to launch a national campaign to promote paper and print.
The aim of this campaign is to highlight the value of paper, with four campaign visuals developed that cover what has been deemed as the most common stereotypes about paper, deforestation, recyclability, and understanding.
The campaign uses the visual of a paper superhero, with the campaign aiming to especially target young people, who Sappi have highlighted as “non-paper native audiences.”
The materials provider has also supported further educational initiatives in Italy and Germany promoting the credentials of paper.
In Italy, it has supported the "OrigAMA la carta" campaign, which is led by a coalition of paper industry, printing, and graphic arts associations. The campaign aims to reach over 1,000 students across 15 schools and universities, challenging them to develop creative campaigns promoting paper's environmental credentials.
In the German market, Sappi is supporting the ‘WE.LOVE.PRINT’ initiative, a movement dedicated to strengthening the print industry and positioning it within omnichannel communication frameworks. Sappi’s contributes by funding the partnership annually and by providing premium papers for WE.LOVE.PRINT magazines and promotional materials.
Flavio Froehli, vice president of sales and marketing at Sappi Europe, says: "In a world facing urgent environmental challenges, the paper industry stands as a model of transformation.
“These initiatives demonstrate how our sector has evolved beyond simply producing paper to driving genuine environmental change. We're achieving measurable reductions in carbon emissions, leading in circular economy practices, and educating future generations about sustainable communication choices.”
