UPM Specialty Materials has introduced a label face paper that uses its grease-barrier technology without per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), marking the first time the company has applied the approach beyond packaging papers.
The new product, UPM Asendo 80, comes as EU rules under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) restrict PFAS in food-contact packaging across the bloc.
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According to UPM, converters supplying food-contact and other grease-sensitive uses, including olive oil packaging, require label papers that can meet performance requirements without PFAS-based chemistry.
UPM Specialty Materials said no PFAS are added to its papers during production.
The company said all grades are checked by independent third-party laboratories, giving converters the documentation needed for their customers.
UPM Asendo 80 can be used with different adhesive types, is suitable for UV Flexo and UV-inkjet printing, and is offered with FSC or PEFC certification.
It meets food-contact requirements set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR).
The launch adds an 80gsm basis weight to UPM Specialty Materials’ range.
UPM Specialty Materials product manager Kirsi Lahtela said: “Bringing our barrier technology from packaging into UPM Asendo 80 gives label converters access to grease resistance that has been validated over years of use in demanding packaging applications. It also helps converters grow and win by opening the door to higher-value label applications.”
In May, UPM Specialty Materials, Michelman and BOBST worked on two paper-based packaging concepts for companies responding to EU packaging rules, including the Single-Use Plastics Directive.
The collaboration brings together fibre materials, bio-based coatings and coating line expertise to create packaging structures intended for direct industrial use.
