Grass corrugated cardboard is the new sustainable trend in the packaging industry. Justifiably! As an alternative to plastic packaging and as a complement to existing corrugated cardboard products, grass corrugated cardboard is a packaging material perfectly suited to today’s still plastic-rich consumer world. Made 100 percent from grass paper, grass corrugated cardboard can be processed and printed in the same way as corrugated cardboard. Convince yourself!
Grass corrugated cardboard is currently a much discussed issue. Not only are packaging producers looking at the issue, food retailers such as Lidl, Rewe and Penny are also pioneers in this field. For instance, plastic-based fruit trays for apples have already been replaced by sustainable trays made from grass corrugated cardboard. Yet that’s not enough: Secondary placements made from grass corrugated cardboard are ideally suited for use with sustainable foodstuffs and products and also contribute to creating high-impact and holistic merchandise presentation displays.
Why grass corrugated cardboard?
Grass corrugated cardboard is made from grass pellets and waste paper. The ratio of the respective raw materials is 30:70. Where as a rule all three layers of the grass corrugated cardboard are made of grass paper.
The grass used for production comes from green spaces which were not previously used and are known as compensation areas. The compensation areas are legally specified and are non-previously used agricultural areas which have not been fertilized or chemically treated. They are also only mown once at the beginning and once at the end of the year, so there is no impact on the main vegetation periods of the grasses.
From a technical perspective the production process for grass paper differs only slightly from that of normal paper production. However, unlike in the production of corrugated cardboard raw paper from recycled paper, no water-based treatment process is required. The grass paper fibers are ground dry and mixed with the wastepaper pulp. This process not only saves wastewater, but also greenhouse gases, energy and raw materials.
The increasing market demand from the trade and customers for alternative materials and sustainable packaging materials is making corrugated cardboard an important trend for the future. Marketing aspects such as the creation of a USP and the visual differentiation at the POS also contribute to the added value of grass corrugated cardboard.
Packaging made from grass corrugated cardboard
Food packaging made from grass corrugated cardboard with the ISEGA-certification can be used for direct food contact. The combination of grass fresh fibres and recycled fibres enables direct contact with dry, non-greasy foodstuffs as well as with foodstuffs which should be peeled or washed before consumption.
Trays and cartons made from grass corrugated cardboard are used both as carry packs and also as merchandise presentation displays.
Thanks to their integrated stacking corners, trays made from grass corrugated cardboard can be placed on top of each other and individual products are protected. Not only are the savings in logistics costs a benefit, but so is the considerably easier handling for the trade. Corrugated cardboard trays, like packaging and displays, can be customised in their printing and as a result create a wide range of communications opportunities for sales promotion and brand presentation. Trays made from grass corrugated cardboard are used in many different industrial sectors from food and drinks to cosmetics, confectionery and electrical items. We will help you find the appropriate carton for every product!
Grass corrugated cardboard displays
Secondary placements are mobile incentive systems at the POS. However, sustainability is also an important aspect in displays, as well as for packaging. THIMM developed the first display made from grass corrugated cardboard and it can currently be seen in Bikini Berlin at FoodBuzz.
What is special about displays made from grass corrugated cardboard?
Sustainable and vegan products from start-ups do not, at the outset, find a direct route to retail shelves. Therefore, via secondary placements in the form of pallet displays and floor-standing displays or even counter displays, the new products can be presented directly at the end of the shelf or near the till.
Grass corrugated cardboard can be used for different types of displays. In addition to pallet displays and floor-standing displays, counter displays are also possible options for secondary placements.
Noticeable strengths of grass corrugated cardboard can be seen in the attractive fiber structure and the outstanding reproduction of the print colours. Digital printing is a winner here, primarily with print images with low surface coverage and it can also be used as a USP in designs.
Perfect in a double pack – grass corrugated cardboard and digital printing
Printing is possible on grass paper regardless of its condition (untreated or white-dyed). All printing procedures can be used. The specific structure of grass paper is particularly highlighted when colour is applied to the material. This also enables the structure of the paper to be identified which has an interesting and attention-grabbing effect.
Due to the specific haptic, colour and surface condition of grass paper, there are some specific framework conditions that need to be observed. Though the deliberate use of grass corrugated cardboard for environmentally-aware target groups and sustainable products in combination with the high-quality digital printing, a wide spectrum of design opportunities can be created.
In order to make use of the unique structure of grass corrugated cardboard as a USP, the design elements should be blended harmoniously with the structural elements. This means that grass corrugated cardboard can be both a component and an element of a first-rate design.
Comparison of digital printing on coated and on uncoated paper and grass paper:
Possible use areas for grass corrugated cardboard
Grass corrugated cardboard can be found in many different industrial sectors as packaging or as a display for a wide range of products. Some examples of practical use are:
- Suitable for products, ranges and brands with a focus on sustainability
- Organic / fairtrade: coffee, tea, chocolate, fruit, vegetables, milk and milk products
- Natural cosmetics
- Pharmaceutical industry in the natural medicine and homeopathy sectors
- Home & garden with packaging for lawn and plant seeds
Benefits of grass corrugated cardboard
- USP and visual differentiation in the market
- 100% sustainable
- The raw material grass is a quick renewable raw material and is available several times over the year
- Same processing as corrugated cardboard
- Printing similar to corrugated cardboard
- Many different use areas and applications in the packaging and display sector, specifically for sustainable and/or organic products.
Use the Grass Paper Signet for your communication!
Let your customers and consumers know that you rely on sustainable grass corrugated cardboard.
The Grass Paper Signet helps you to do this.
Our friends at THIMM can print it for you on every packaging and display made of grass corrugated cardboard in the color of your choice. The Grass Paper Signet is available in English or German.
article source: THIMM
