Protection for packaging papers: each application requires a different solution

From water resistance to oil and grease barriers, correctly identifying the protection a package needs is key to balancing performance, coat weight and cost per square meter.

The growing use of paper in different types of packaging comes with new performance requirements. Depending on the application, the natural characteristics of the substrate need to be complemented to withstand the conditions found during storage, transport or use of the package.

Water, moisture, oil and grease, for example, are different challenges. That is exactly why not every protection need should be treated the same way.

Before choosing a technology, one question is essential: protection against what, and how much of that protection does the package really need?

Water resistance and barrier: different needs

In boxes and other paper packaging, the main goal may be to increase water resistance, reducing water penetration into the substrate and helping to preserve the material’s characteristics during use.

Other applications may require specific barrier properties against water, oil or grease, depending on the packaged product and the conditions the package will be exposed to.

This distinction matters because simply seeking the highest possible level of protection is not always the most efficient solution. A package needs the protection suited to its application, not necessarily the maximum protection that is technically possible.

The substrate is also part of the solution

The performance of a water-resistance agent or a barrier does not depend only on the product applied.

Paper characteristics, such as surface structure and absorbency, as well as the amount applied and process conditions, directly influence the result.

That is why the same technology may require adjustments when used on different papers or under different production conditions. The solution should consider the whole picture: substrate, type of protection needed, amount applied, process and expected performance.

Price per kilo does not tell the whole story

Another important aspect is how different alternatives are compared.

The price per kilogram is an important commercial reference, but on its own it does not represent the actual cost of the protection applied to the paper.

Different technologies may require different amounts to reach the specified performance. So, in addition to the product price, it is important to evaluate how much it costs to deliver the required protection on each square meter of paper.

This analysis relates amount applied, performance and cost per area, offering a view closer to industrial reality.

DISACOAT: protection according to the application

Within this concept, Disamtex Chemicals & Additives developed the DISACOAT line, which brings together water-resistance and barrier solutions for packaging papers.

The line ranges from water-resistance agents aimed mainly at applications that require greater water resistance to barrier technologies for situations that call for specific protection against water, oil and grease.

The choice of solution considers the characteristics of the substrate, the application conditions and, above all, the level of protection the package requires. More than seeking the highest possible performance, the goal is to find the right combination of technology, amount applied, performance and cost per square meter.

The right protection for each need

Packaging papers increasingly demand performance, but that performance must also be technically and economically viable.

For this reason, water resistance and barrier properties should not be assessed only by the final property achieved or by the product price. Substrate, consumption, application conditions and the actual cost of protection are all part of the same analysis.

In the end, the best solution is not necessarily the one that delivers the most protection, but the one that delivers the protection needed, in the right amount and with the best balance between performance and application cost.

The DISACOAT line is part of the specialty chemicals portfolio of Disamtex Chemicals & Additives for the paper and packaging industry, offering different water-resistance and barrier alternatives according to the needs of each application.

To learn more about the DISACOAT line or to evaluate a specific application, contact the Disamtex technical team.