Toppan Develops New Barrier Coated Paper for Packaging

Toppan a a major Japanese player in communication, security, packaging, décor materials, and electronics solutions has developed a new barrier coated paper that provides high water vapor barrier performance and outstanding flex resistance and is suitable for a wide range of contents and packaging shapes. Sample shipments of “GL-X-P” to manufacturers in a broad spectrum of industries worldwide, including food and toiletries, will begin in September, with the launch of full-scale sales scheduled for spring 2022.

GL-X-P’s excellent water vapor barrier performance makes it possible to prevent content quality deterioration caused by humidity, while its flex resistance means it can be used for a diverse variety of packaging shapes. These features enable its use in packaging for a wide range of powdered and solid contents, including food products such as instant coffee, powdered soups, and chocolate as well as cosmetics and toiletries.
As an alternative to conventional packaging using paper, GL-X-P also has benefits for the environment. It can contribute to the reduction of food loss due to the potential extension of shelf lives enabled by preservation of freshness. Because GL-X-P itself is heat sealable, a structure consisting only of paper is possible, cutting plastic consumption and facilitating a reduction in CO₂ emissions of up to approximately 35% (Toppan calculation) when used as an alternative to conventional laminated packaging structures that include plastic.

With the establishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and growing global momentum to protect the environment and save resources, there is increasing interest in packaging that mitigates impact on the environment. Efforts to reduce food loss and drive sustainability are now essential, and product packages are expected to not only maintain freshness and preserve contents over longer periods, but to also lower environmental impact through resource saving and recyclability.

In 1986 Toppan developed GL FILM, a barrier film that can contribute to solutions to social issues by reducing food loss and resource consumption. The GL BARRIER brand of barrier films with GL FILM at its core today maintains a leading share of the global market on account of world-class barrier performance and an extensive range of products for diverse purposes.

As a new paper-based addition to the existing range of film products, GL-X-P further expands the possible applications of GL BARRIER and overcomes the challenge of producing paper-based high barrier packaging. Targeting mass production in 2022, Toppan will advance development of GL-X-P and continue to enhance its lineup by creating new barrier coated paper products for packaging.

Features of GL-X-P

・Enables paper-based packaging with high barrier performance
Coating treatment that enhances flex resistance and proprietary vapor deposition technologies accumulated through the development of Toppan’s GL BARRIER products enable high barrier performance and superior workability that makes GL-X-P suitable for diverse packaging shapes.

・Use of paper material reduces CO₂ emissions
Adopting paper as the base material removes the lamination process and enables a structure that uses no aluminum foil. This makes it possible to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to approximately 35% (Toppan calculation) in comparison with conventional products using plastic films.

・Switch to paper mono-material reduces plastic consumption to zero
General packaging employs a material structure combining various components with a sealant layer that incorporates plastic material. However, because GL-X-P consists only of a paper material and a coated layer with heat sealing properties, it has become possible to reduce the plastic consumption of packaging to zero.

・Packaging design that takes advantage of the look and feel of paper
GL-X-P’s barrier performance eliminates the need to use film or other materials and facilitates packaging design that makes use of the unique look and feel of paper.