Denmaur Paper Media is bringing a recyclable paper wrap to market as interest in paper as an alternative to LDPE film for magazines and direct mail continues to climb.
Most magazine printers are able to offer paper wrap, either through their own installations or through a mailing house. Warners is the most recent magazine printer to commit to paper wrapping for mailed publications.
Until now recommended materials meant a compromise on quality, on bulk, strength or water resistance. This has been at the heart of a 12-month development programme at a mill in Europe. This will be marketed as Revive Mail Wrap on reels of various widths to suit different lines and applications.
The standard weight will be 80gsm, says Danny Doogan, Denmaur Marketing and sustainability director. “We can go to 90gsm, while people will want it at 70gsm and perhaps to look at the potential of 60gsm.” This may help with keeping postal rates under control. The paper itself will be “competitively priced” according to Denmaur.
The manufacturer itself can run the paper to 36gsm, far too lightweight to be of any use in print (“for small paper bags”, Doogan suggests). The paper mixes virgin FSC pulp with a kraft pulp to provide strength and bulk. It has also achieved a low Cobb value in terms of weather resistance.
The outside will take inkjet printing and Denmaur will supply a Revive logo to indicate that the paper is produced from recycled fibres. And it will be supplied as a carbon balanced material, something that can also be carried on the wrap.
The alternative eco-friendly materials are the compostable films produced from starch, but which can be difficult for consumers to manage as well compromising the quality of the publication carried. The Guardian, for example, started with a potato starch based film as a replacement for LDPE films but has now switched to a paper wrap which can be printed with promotional messaging.
The material will be supplied for next day delivery from its merchant network. Because of the way it is used, it is not something that will be offered through the publications paper management service, though the potential for a cross sell is clear.
Denmaur managing director Nick Gee says: “Denmaur has always been known for our expertise in the publications market and so were champions of paper wrap right from the start.
“Because of our reputation for sustainability, and being associated with innovative products such as Revive and Delipac, it was inevitable that we would develop a Revive product for this market that also carries the Carbon Balanced Paper label”.
