Kelebogile Nondzaba speaks to Katherine Wölke, product and development manager for SAPPI on its transformation journey from a traditional pulp and paper company into a global Woodfibre powerhouse.
From its origins as a South African Pulp in 1936, SAPPI has evolved to serve customers in over 150 countries with a diverse range of products including dissolving pulp, specialty papers, packaging solutions and innovative biomaterials.
In this Q&A we investigate SAPPI’S ground-breaking PrimePak Unbleached (PPU) paper bag packaging, exploring its key features and benefits for the retail sector. We discuss the significant impact PPU has had on sustainability and environmental initiatives for retail companies. As SAPPI leads the way in the circular economy, we also uncover the innovative aspects of PPU that set it apart in the crowded retail market, catering to the evolving preferences of eco-conscious consumers.
“Graphic paper, best known for use in offices and in glossy magazines, is no longer our only forte. We are also the world leader in the production of dissolving pulp for use in the manufacture of viscose staple fibre (VSF). We are a force to be reckoned with in the global packaging and speciality paper market (ranging from labels to flexible packaging, silicone base paper, liner applications, grease proof paper and the use of release paper as a cast in the production of synthetic leather)”. explains Wölke.
SAPPi’s PrimePak Unbleached paper bag packaging key features and benefits:
Q. How has the introduction of PrimePak Unbleached (PPU) paper bag packaging impacted the sustainability and environmental initiatives of retail companies that use it?
A. There have been great strides made from many retailers to offer a more sustainable alternative to the plastic bags we are given at many retail stores. With sustainability on everyone’s lips and the added EPR initiatives in place in South Africa, the move to paper bags is the natural choice. Many retailers are seeing the environmental benefit of moving to paper, knowing that their sustainability targets are met and that their conscious is pure and well-intended. Consumers alike are also becoming more aware of the role they play in single-use packaging and how they reduce waste. As their knowledge and the responsibility they take grows, so too are their demands for more sustainable solutions.
Q. What innovations or unique features of (PPU) paper bags make them stand out in a crowded retail market and how do they cater to consumer preferences?
A. PrimePak Unbleached (PPU) is not only recyclable and biodegradable but it also forms part of the circular economy without compromising on the strength properties this market requires. Due to the virgin fibres used in producing this bag, less bag breakages are experienced, thus minimising unnecessary waste. As virgin fibres are used in producing this high-quality product, light weighting can be achieved without compromising on strength and thus reducing carbon footprint. Shade consistency is observed once again because of the virgin fibres in this product.
Q. What support and resources does SAPPI offer to retailers who want to transition to (PPU) paper bag packaging and how does this support influence their decision-making process?
A. As we don’t generally deal with retailers directly, we do offer market and product support through training and marketing material to our customers – the bag converters. However, we have had some opportunity to meet with some retailers and to introduce the product, unpacking with them any product and environmental concerns / issues with them.
“We have also patented a world-first, low-cost process to produce nanocellulose (cellulose fibres from wood, on an ultra-small nano-level). This is a ground-breaking new scientific field with untapped potential where we are becoming market leaders. Today, we are enthusiastically exploring numerous energy opportunities using biomass as fuel for the zero-carbon, circular economy,” she concludes.
