​On 23 April, the UNESCO World Book Day, bookstores, publishers, libraries, schools and reading enthusiasts across Germany celebrate a large reading festival, a regional tradition since 1995.

I might be biased, but I’ve always seen the corrugated package as a simply brilliant construction. And with sustainability and circular economy thinking at the top of the agenda for both brands and consumers today, this lightweight, sustainable and recyclable material is more relevant than ever.  

​Ever wondered what the secret is behind the bold, bright and beautiful designs on the box for the new TV or laptop you've just bought, or the eye-catching vegetable boxes and store displays at your local supermarket? The answer is coated white top kraftliner, a material that changed the corrugated packaging market for good after its introduction in the early 90s. 

​Finnish packaging converter Jaakkoo-Taara is an ISO-certified company with decades of experience in producing a diverse range of packaging solutions for the demanding and strictly regulated pharma industry. We spoke to CEO Thomas Brusila about the hot topics that are shaping his business.

​As packaging designers, the first mistake we often make is to create a package that pleases us rather than the people who will buy the product inside. My trick to avoid this is to leave my inner designer at home and step into the consumer's shoes instead.  

​E-commerce has, during the past few years, seen a particular boost before Christmas. In 2020, the pandemic will, without doubt, bring e-commerce sales to a new Christmas record, as shoppers avoid brick-and-mortar stores.

​Even though the coronavirus crisis has impacted our daily lives in many ways and dominates the news headlines, concern for the impact of climate change has by no means disappeared. Combatting climate change and the risks and opportunities that the changing climate brings with it are questions that companies need to answer through their actions.

​Alongside growing consumption, the need for authenticity is increasing in pharma packages. Pharma companies and consumers alike want to be sure that the medicine is legitimate – not a forgery and has not been tampered with. Tamper-evident features are a tool to ensure the safety of the packed product. 

Packaging and graphical professionals are constantly looking for new ways to attract consumers. There is often an artistic vision and haptic feeling that the printed piece should convey. With modern printing techniques it is possible to produce various touch and feel properties, but outstanding technical characteristics are also required from the paperboard. 

​Historically, eating healthily and treating oneself have largely been viewed as mutually exclusive, with self-indulgent foods thought of in terms of takeaways and fatty, sugary or spicy foods and healthy food often perceived to be bland and boring. Can a balance be struck between these extremes? We explore this fascinating theme with Anu Rehtijärvi, Business Intelligence Manager at Metsä Board.

Packaging for food must meet certain basic requirements to be fit for purpose, but are there different factors to consider when it's sold online? With online grocery sales on the rise, brands must consider how packaging can enhance the shopping experience for their customers. We spoke with Anna Keinänen, Business Intelligence Manager at Metsä Board, to uncover some key considerations for food packaging when selling online.

With people choosing to eat at home more often, it's important that groceries and takeaway food can be delivered to consumers safely. Packaging has a vital part to play in this process. Marjatta Punkka, Product Safety Manager at Metsä Board, says that food safety certification is one way to guarantee safe production methods and minimise risk throughout the production chain.

​Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) believes that fossil-free production will soon be a significant competitive advantage for companies.

​The popularity of takeaway food is increasing continuously. More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. That means hectic lifestyles, traffic jams, and long commutes. A growing number of people are living alone. All of this increases the popularity of takeaway food.

The younger generation is increasingly looking for better and more sustainable ways to consume products. Many make their purchasing decisions, not only considering the benefits of the product itself, but by evaluating the overall impacts of the product's value chain to the environment and society.

Sustainability is a major trend, and is now considered a ‘must-have’ in packaging business. Several studies demonstrate that consumers prefer sustainable packaging and are willing to pay extra for it. But what actually makes a packaging sustainable?

​Good packaging protects both the product and the consumer, and as a packaging material, fresh fibre paperboard has an advantage. Paperboard made from fresh fibre is safe to use in packaging for foodstuffs and in food service. It does not pass on any flavour, odour or harmful substances to the food.

​Demographic shifts - with more urban, single, carless, digitally enabled yet time-starved or physically restricted consumers - are driving the demand for faster and more convenient shopping and consumption.

For companies producing consumer goods, replacing fossil-based packaging materials with sustainable paperboard packaging is an excellent way to improve the responsibility of their business operations and promote sustainability globally.

​The global e-commerce market is growing at double digit growth rates. Increasing e-commerce offers numerous opportunities for packaging suppliers, but also challenges, as online shopping places new requirements on packaging.

​With the growing trend of beverages on the go and expanding consumption, it has become even more important to develop resource-saving solutions with renewable materials. Metsä Board’s in-house design team revamped the traditional design of the paper cup leading them to an entirely new solution: Lidloc that reduces carbon footprint by 50% in comparison to traditional cups with plastic lids.

Views are changing on what is considered luxury. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of environmental issues, and many want their purchases to reflect these values. Accordingly, modern luxury brands are looking for ways to make their goods desirable for both customers and the planet. And according to a recent consumer survey, that’s also good for the business.

​Insects are considered a common element of human nutrition in many regions around the world. In Europe, too, snacks and dishes made of arthropods are becoming popular. No wonder given the fact that they are rich in nutrients, beneficial to the environment and efficient to breed. Zirpinsects, the manufacturer of ZIRP insect snacks, packs its dried mealworms, grasshoppers and crickets in a sustainable folding carton made of Metsä Board’s fresh fibre board – for a natural, sustainable and consistent product presentation.

​Answering to the packaging needs of a growing market for takeaway food, Metsä Board’s new eco-barrier paperboard offers a sustainable and cost-efficient option.

​How is urbanisation affecting the way families and individuals live in the modern city, and what are the effects of these changes upon packaged consumer goods?

​In this, the first of an ongoing series of articles exploring urbanisation and its effects on the global packaging industry, we provide an introduction to one of the world’s most challenging megatrends.

​Metsä Board’s SkinCare 2.0 gift box design is following in the footsteps of its predecessor that has received multiple awards for its innovative design. On December 4th, the new, improved gift box was named Champion of Packaging Printing, Paper Packaging, at the 29th Hong Kong Print Awards.

As the head of the jury of Metsä Board’s Better with Less – Design Challenge, Design & Innovation Director Cyril Drouet explains the contest’s goals, motivations, and the packaging innovations he hopes it will inspire.

Metsä Board has been recognized as a global leader in two programmes by CDP, the international not-for-profit organization advocating sustainable economies through a global disclosure system. This is the third consecutive year Metsä Board was rewarded a position on the CDP Water A list, and the second year on the CDP Climate A list.

​The world is changing fast. More people than ever before live on our planet and the majority of them will be living in cities. Digitalisation is impacting upon retail and many goods are now enjoyed on the go or delivered straight to customer’s doorstep. The number of brands and products is constantly growing, but at the same time we are battling the challenges posed by the climate change. There is a clear recognition that in the near future the world will need to run on renewable energy. To meet these challenges, we need innovation in all fronts.

​Confectionery manufacturer Ferrero shared us their views on the role of suppliers and packaging with regards to sustainability.

​Cartons, using Metsä Board’s paperboards, were awarded in three categories at the European Carton Excellence Awards, held on 21 September in Salzburg, Austria. The awards recognised excellence in design, convenience, brand communication and the major role paperboard plays as an innovative packaging material.

​In his column, Mark Beamesderfer, technical marketing & services director at Metsä Board Americas, talks about how online purchasing has changed the demands for brand packaging.

Kaisa Jäntti showed the world how the packaging of a high-quality luxury item such as jewellery can be made entirely from biodegradable materials.

​The world’s population is expected to grow by over a billion by 2030, which means that the competition for the world’s scarce resources is intensifying. To fight overconsumption, it’s time to start thinking in terms of ‘the circular economy’.

​Kyrö Distillery Company’s Napue Gin has swiftly become a Nordic award-winning sensation. We take a look at how their market-shaping brand is supported by careful supplier selection.

​Nina Happonen, VP of sales at Metsä Board Americas, shares her thoughts on the US market today.

​There are more and more people on this planet, consumption is constantly growing, and so is the demand for packaging. Designing packaging in a smarter way can have a big impact on sustainability – raw materials can be used more efficiently, and the package can be made more easy to recycle.

Metsä Board’s way of working guarantees safety and strength throughout the product life cycle.

​With two highly creative designs, Metsä Board earned a double recognition at this year’s iF Design Awards. T2 Mini Fruit Tea packaging won an iF Design certificate for ‘Beverages’ and the company’s own innovative Elevated drink box won another iF Design certificate for ‘Independent Packaging’.

​Metsä Board’s white linerboard range has a recent addition, Kemiart Brite+. This grade is a specially designed coated white-top kraftliner suitable for brand, retail and consumer packages, and is also safe for food packaging.

​The collaboration between Barilla and Metsä Board began in 2007. It is no surprise that the companies share interests related to sustainability.

​For tea and teawares company T2, packaging is an essential part of enjoying tea.

​With close cooperation throughout the entire value chain, Metsä Board is able to create a safe and sustainable product life cycle for the benefit of its customers.

​Metsä Board has achieved Leadership status in CDP’s 2016 Forests Programme for the company’s high quality reporting on mitigating the impacts of deforestation.

​Metsä Board is among the leading companies in sustainable management of water resources.

Using natural resources wisely is more important than ever. Metsä Board uses materials and energy efficiently.

​​Forest owners and the forest industry work daily for supporting the Finnish forest nature. One of the most visible examples of Metsä Group's efforts are retention trees and high stumps, left at felling sites in the context of regeneration felling which is important for sustainable bioeconomy and forest nature biodiversity.

​Metsä Board has been recognised as a global leader for its actions to combat climate change by CDP, the international not-for-profit organisation promoting sustainable economies.

​Bag-in-box packages are gaining more and more foothold in some of the largest wine drinking countries in North America and Europe. The market intelligence publisher Euromonitor is forecasting an increase of 4 % p.a. for the global bag-in-box retail packaging market by 2020.

​Food is a necessity too precious to be wasted. With high-quality packaging, food waste can be reduced.

​Every second. That’s how often Metsä Group delivers a tree seedling to a forest-owner for planting. This amounts annually to 30 million seedlings and provides the foundation for sustainable forest management.

​Metsä Board’s mills are located in the most water rich areas in the world. Still we use our water resources efficiently.

​Seven cartons using Metsä Board’s boards have been shortlisted for the finals of the 2016 Pro Carton ECMA Awards. There are finalists in Beauty & Cosmetics, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Food and Non-food packaging categories.

Nina Happonen, VP of sales at Metsä Board Americas, answered three questions on the US market.

​When making something new, why not make it a true innovation?

​The latest and greatest packaging innovations are within reach.

​Do you know where your brand is heading? Let packaging help you. The role of packaging in branding is increasing all the time, as is the value of an extensive premium packaging portfolio.

​According to an international environmental report, Metsä Board is at the forefront of sustainable development.

​The origin is known of all of the raw materials used by Metsä Board in its paperboard production. All of the wood comes from sustainably managed forests and can be traced back to its source.

​​Renewable northern wood is the main raw material for Metsä Board’s products. The high quality of softwood in Finland has its roots in the oldest forest legislation in the world: the Forest Act requires forests to be managed sustainably and treated with respect.

​​Metsä Board's associated company Metsä Fibre is currently building the world's first next-generation bioproduct mill in Äänekoski, Finland. With a value of EUR 1.2 billion, this represents the Finnish forestry industry's largest ever investment.

​The globe's fresh water resources are scarce, unevenly distributed and their use effects both the environment and the society. Rather than looking at the absolute volumes being used, we should be talking about the impact we make.

​1 billion products sold daily. That’s why we asked Nestlé what makes for high performance in paperboard.

​Ethical business practices are the foundation of Metsä Board’s purchasing operations. This helps our customers, as it’s also their interest to know the whole chain. But what does a sustainable supply chain mean for us?