Fiber-based packaging is reshaping food service and e-commerce. Brands need recyclable wrappers, boxes and mailers that protect products and cut plastic waste. Henkel’s high-performance barrier coatings enable sustainable mono-material fiber solutions.
Water-based heat seal coatings enable recyclable, grease-resistant fiber-based packaging for food and non-food applications. Applied to suitable papers, they deliver secure sealing, moisture and grease barriers, and compatibility with existing packaging lines while supporting fiber recovery.
Barrier coatings for fiber-based packaging add grease and moisture resistance, oxygen and aroma barriers, and heat sealability so paper can replace plastic or laminates in many food and non-food uses. Designed for repulpability and recycling, they enable mono-material, circular packaging solutions, supported by Henkel’s material science expertise.
Grease-resistant barrier coatings stop oils and fats from penetrating fiber-based packaging, keeping graphics sharp and pack surfaces clean. They enable paper to replace plastic or laminated structures in snacks, bakery and quick-service formats while remaining compatible with established recycling streams.
Water-resistant barrier coatings protect fiber-based packaging from liquid splashes and condensation, helping maintain pack integrity from filling to end use. Applied to suitable papers, they support reliable line performance and product protection while remaining repulpable for efficient fiber recovery.
Moisture barrier coatings control water vapor transmission in fiber-based packaging so products stay crisp, dry and shelf-stable. By tailoring coating type and coat weight, packaging developers can balance barrier performance, sealability and recyclability, enabling mono-material paper solutions for a wide range of food and non-food uses.
Oxygen barrier coatings help protect sensitive products and aromas by limiting oxygen ingress through fiber-based packaging. Combined with the right substrates and heat-seal properties, they allow paper to replace plastic films or multi-material laminates in many applications while still fitting into existing paper recycling systems.
Within the EU, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is reshaping how packaging is designed, used and recycled. From 2030, non-compliant formats can no longer be placed on the EU market – including imported packs – making PPWR relevant for global brands. Henkel helps translate these requirements into practical, future-ready solutions.
Henkel Packaging Recyclab is Henkel’s testing service for packaging recyclability. In labs in Düsseldorf and Shanghai we assess fiber- and film-based structures under recognized recycling protocols, giving brands data to design more recyclable, regulation-ready packaging.
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For paper and board packaging in food service and e-commerce, the essential coating properties typically include grease resistance, moisture or water resistance, heat sealability where closure is needed, oxygen or aroma barrier where product sensitivity requires it and overall pack durability during converting, filling, transport and use. The exact mix depends on the product and format, but these properties help fiber-based packaging deliver product protection and line performance in applications where uncoated paper would not be sufficient. Well-designed coatings can therefore help paper and board replace more complex packaging structures in selected applications.
Heat seal coatings allow paper packaging to form secure seals under heat and pressure while keeping paper or board as the main pack substrate. This can help replace additional sealing layers in some applications, simplify the structure and maintain compatibility with existing packaging lines. When the coating is designed for repulpability and assessed against recognized paper recycling methods, it can support fiber recovery and recyclable packaging goals while still delivering the seal performance needed for product protection.
Paper packaging can use different barrier coating approaches depending on the required functions, including grease resistance, moisture and water resistance, oxygen or aroma barrier and heat sealability. For food-contact uses, the coating system must also be suitable for the relevant regulatory framework and intended contact conditions. To support recyclability, the coated structure should be assessed against recognized paper-recycling methods and designed so the barrier function does not unduly interfere with fiber recovery, repulpability or final pulp quality.
Coated paper solutions replace selected plastic packaging formats by adding barrier and sealing properties to paper or board that would otherwise lack the needed performance. Depending on the application, coatings can provide grease resistance, moisture protection, heat sealability, or additional oxygen-barrier support, allowing fiber-based formats to be used in food service and e-commerce applications that still require product protection and reliable handling. The result is not a universal replacement for every plastic format, but a practical route to lower material complexity and more fiber-based packaging in applications where the coated paper structure can meet performance and recycling requirements.
Henkel’s recyclability assessment approach helps converters evaluate how coated paper packaging performs under recognized recycling methods before they scale a design. By testing coated structures against established protocols and reviewing how design choices affect repulpability, fiber yield and pulp quality, converters can identify whether a coating concept supports current recyclability goals or needs adjustment. This gives packaging teams stronger evidence for design decisions as customer requirements, EPR expectations and regulations such as PPWR continue to tighten.
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