​The general climate debate has made it clear that halting global warming at an increase of 1.5 degrees will require concrete action from companies. Growing numbers of customers, investors and consumers are demanding that companies act responsibly. Those that aim to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions can gain a significant competitive advantage.

​One of the pioneers in the field is Unilever, a global market leader in various sectors and the owner of several world-class brands. The company strives for sustainable packaging. 

​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.  

​In an industry where multiple companies are involved in the conception of a single product it is important to identify and resolve potential challenges in the supply chain during the planning process. This is most successful when all those involved are able to come together and exchange ideas. The Packaging Inspiration Forum (PIF) is a place to do just that. It was set up by the PrintCity strategic alliance and took place digitally for the first time this year. Metsä Board is pleased to be a member of the PrintCity Alliance.

​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. 

​Creating sustainable, safe and pure medical and pharmaceutical packaging solutions that are compliant with good manufacturing practices and quality management is on the increase globally, and the COVID-19 pandemic has been increasing the need further.  

​​Finland's leading ready-to-eat food company, Saarioinen, launched soup packaging just before Valentine's Day, for consumers to share their own messages. An online platform combined with digital printing, opened up exciting new opportunities for the packaging.

​​Clever packaging concepts are not only made from Metsä Board's sustainable paperboard – the paperboard itself can utilise new types of intelligence too.

​​Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we are all more aware of the importance of good hygiene. This also affects how we look at food products and packaging. In fact, packaging has taken on a completely new meaning during the past year.

​​Creating a sustainable packaging solution for medical products was the goal that ERBA Diagnostics Mannheim and AR Packaging Graz set themselves for the new ISE-Analyzer EC Cartridge.

​​A study published by the European Paper Packaging Association (EPPA) reveals that single-use fibre-based food and drink packaging used in European quick service restaurants provide significant key environmental advantages when compared to reusable tableware.

​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.

​Showcasing a sustainable alternative for food packaging – that was the aim of the new demo project by Weilburger Graphics. The company created an innovative and recyclable beverage cooler made from paperboard and using a completely new waterproof coating.  

SIM Finland Oy is a cosmetics manufacturer that emphasises purity, quality, and design in its products, and pays special attention to sustainability issues. When the company recently renewed its SensiDO professional hair colour range it chose a packaging material that mirrored these exacting values. MetsäBoard Pro FBB Bright is a lightweight fresh fibre paperboard with a low carbon footprint manufactured in Finland by Metsä Board.

​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. 

When Dutch coffee brand Zuivere Koffie was developing its new coffee range, it wanted the packaging to be both sustainable and eye-catching. In order to achieve this dual aim, Zuivere Koffie collaborated with Metsä Board. The converter, Remmert Dekker Packaging, challenged themselves to find an extra special something to bring to the project.

​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.

​Rapala, a leading fishing lure innovator, chose Metsä Board’s premium lightweight paperboard for its striking lure packaging. The packaging was digitally printed by PackageMedia.

​When shopping for your groceries, do you choose packaging based on how environmentally friendly you think it is? If, like us, you want to make the best choices for the planet, there are a few things it’s important to know. ​For example, how environmentally friendly are cartons made from non-recycled fibre (also called virgin or fresh fibre) compared to recycled ones? You might be surprised by the answer.

In a series of interviews we ask the winners of the Better with Less – Design Challenge what inspired them to enter their inspirational ideas.

​Eson Pac are pharma packaging specialists, with expertise in all aspects of producing and delivering packaging solutions for the pharma supply chain. Niklas Bengtsson, Sales and Marketing Director at Eson Pac, shares some insights into current and future trends.

​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.

​There is a growing demand for environmentally friendly, sustainable packaging alternatives to serve and store food products. A Finnish family enterprise Kultasuklaa had one wish concerning their It's all about love praline box: less plastic.

​Fazer is launching a new line of premium chocolate in the U.S. under the Nordi brand name. The packaging is made from lightweight premium folding boxboard from Metsä Board to protect the product, keep it fresh, and support the brand's image.

MetsäBoard Pro FBB Bright improves sustainability and reduces cost for Medicine-On-Time 

​According to Business Insider, an American financial and business news website, the last-mile delivery costs account for 53% of the overall transportation costs. At the same time, customers increasingly demand faster deliveries. Naturally, this is a topic of interest for future innovation.

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?

​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.

​In Metsä Board’s Better with Less – Design Challenge, innovative solutions for frequently used consumer packages were gathered from entrants around the world. A key focus area in the competition was in creating better experiences for consumers while reducing the environmental impact of the packaging in general.

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.

​What kind of packaging solutions do urban consumers want, and how is urbanisation affecting the demand for paperboard? 

​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.

​Superb customer service and a superior product are gaining Metsä Board a strong foothold in the US market. Customers in the US embrace better, lighter and faster solutions.

​When Hershey was looking for a more sustainable, lightweight and efficient solution for their Cookies & Chocolate secondary package, Metsä Board’s design team was keen to take on the challenge. 

​How is online retail transforming the requirements of today’s consumer packaging?

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.

​Finnish craft distillery The Helsinki Distilling Company combines a true respect for raw materials with an uncompromising attention to detail. Their White Dog new-make spirit and its packaging both communicate a brand aesthetic where the raw and uncut meets a luxurious finish.

​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?

​15 years of close collaboration help Metsä Board and Essentra meet the key trends for luxury and personal care packaging.

​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.

​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.

​The beauty and men's care segment has never seen such interesting and varied times. We take a look under the surface to examine the movements driving this fascinating series of developments.

​Legislation affecting food packaging, particularly in Europe, the US and China, is constantly evolving. Metsä Board product safety managers Katja Tuomola and Marjatta Punkka provide a helpful update.

​Inventive paperboard sleeve for Pago fruit juice promotion

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

Metsä Board's high-quality paperboards and expert services help you create the most powerful brand communication and brand experiences – from the package itself to various retail solutions.

​The path of new packaging technology from idea to market can take more than a decade. For Metsä Board, creating better, innovative packaging is, first and foremost, a joint journey with forward-looking customers.

We have recently clarified our offering to help customers easily find the perfect products to fit their exact needs. Let’s take a look at the changes and how our collaborations will benefit from them.

​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.

​In April 2017, we announced the start-up of our new extrusion coating line at our Husum mill in Sweden. Representing an investment of 38 million euros, and with an annual capacity of 100,000 tonnes, the new line propels Metsä Board to the front line of suppliers of integrated solutions for fresh, frozen, and on-the-go food-packaging.

​We take a look at the biggest trends affecting food packaging today, from premium branded coffees to multi-pack snacks.

​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.

​In many industries today, eliminating dependence upon fossil-fuel-based materials is a firm aim, but this is more challenging in some applications than others. Take the paper cup, for example. How could you possibly order a café latte on the move without a plastic lid to keep the hot liquid safely inside until you reach your destination?

​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 has the same food safety certificates as the food industry. That’s just one example of how Metsä Board secures the product safety of its products.

​With the trend of convenient and fast on-the-go eating growing globally, the demand for food service paperboards is on the rise. In addition to our home markets in Europe, we at Metsä Board have identified the Americas, as well as the global food service market, as our focus areas for future growth.

In 2016 Metsä Board carried out a study on mineral oil migration into food from packaging and got some convincing data on its paperboards product safety.  

​Both research and feedback from the field indicate that folding boxboard and digital printing have a bright future ahead of them. Digital printing technology company Xeikon has seen the signs and recently dedicated an entire team to the folding carton business.

​The new extrusion coating line at Metsä Board Husum mill will start up in the first half of 2017. With PE coating capacity of some 100,000 t/a, the new line enables Metsä Board to serve the global food service market even better.

​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.

​In Metsä Board’s view, digital printing is challenging the whole packaging value chain, from design to box manufacturing.

​Did you open the window on an advent calendar this morning? A calendar brings joy and excitement in the middle of the darkest time of the year. Let us introduce you to five perspectives to the traditional Advent Calendar of the Guides and Scouts of Finland. 

​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.

Three cartons using fresh fibre paperboards from Metsä Board won at the 2016 Pro Carton ECMA Awards, including the award for the Carton of the Year.

​At the beginning of 2016, Metsä Board started up a new folding boxboard production line at its Husum mill in Sweden. A new video was produced to highlight this, made in collaboration with Valmet – the technology company who supplied the new line.

​The latest trends in the healthcare market are shaping new ways of packaging medical products.

​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.

​A patent lost in wartime gave rise to Comart, now the leading board supplier in the Iberian peninsula.

​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.

​Metsä Board's Husum mill’s new folding boxboard machine, BM1, was inaugurated in April 2016. The production of BM1 is targeted at the Americas and the food-service market globally.

​Metsä Board has perfected the concept for its range of food-service boards.

​It’s not only on the city streets where you see people walking around with food and drinks, but it’s also taking over social media feeds too. The market for food service boards is growing – visibly. This is why Metsä Board decided to dedicate a board grade family to food service. Here then are the four grades of Carta Dedica.