Materials we use

Virgin fiber
Virgin fiber refers to wood fiber used in the manufacture of paperboard packaging. Because many products are intended for direct food contact, Huhtamaki mainly uses bleached wood fiber based paperboard in packaging production. All bleached fibers are Elemental Chlorine Free.

Recycled fiber
Using recycled material preserves scarce resources. Recycled fiber is obtained from Huhtamaki's own cutting waste and consumer recycling, which includes newspapers, magazines, cardboard and other recycled household paper.

Products made from post-industrial recycled fiber are used in various ways such as in the manufacture of Chinet® disposable tableware and foodservice cup carriers. Post-consumer recycled fiber based packaging are used for packing fresh products that have their own natural protective peel or shell such as eggs, fruit and vegetables.

Polymers
Plastic packaging is made from polymers such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and polystyrene (PS). Huhtamaki also uses biopolymers that are starch based and fully compostable in industrial composting facilities.

Huhtamaki is a pioneer in the development of biopolymer based packaging. Conventional plastics are based on crude oil, whereas biopolymers are mainly obtained from renewable natural resources and are often starch based. Compared to conventional plastics, biopolymers have a number of environmental attributes attached to them, such as use of renewable natural resources, carbon dioxide neutrality when incinerated and industrial compostability. Huhtamaki's biopolymer products are part of the BioWare® range.

In addition to these main raw materials, Huhtamaki uses additional materials like aluminium foils, adhesives, waxes and printing inks.