Tough As Nails
Synthetic papers offer beauty, durability, and strength all in one package.
June 2008 by Tom Polischuk
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Synthetic papers are tough, but that’s just one of two key attributes that make them distinctive. The other is their ability to support high-quality printing. All applications in which synthetics are used take advantage of these qualities in one form or another.
Potential uses for synthetic papers include virtually any application that requires long-term durability, says Mike Mead, marketing manager for Wausau Coated Products. “Synthetic papers are chemical-resistant, water-resistant, tear-resistant, and generally more durable than paper.” In addition, synthetic papers provide an ease of printability, he says.
Paul Mitcham, director of marketing and sales support for Yupo Corporation America, concurs with this assessment saying, “YUPO [synthetic paper] is waterproof, tear-resistant, stain- and scratch-resistant, and highly durable, reproducing printed images consistently and accurately.”
John Giblin, VP of marketing for Granwell Products, mentions some of the different varieties and selection criteria to consider. “Today, there’s a wide range of coated and uncoated, biaxially-oriented, calendered, cast, and blown-film-type synthetic papers available and it’s important to choose the right synthetic paper for the application,” he says. “For example, our Polylith product line includes a wide range of monolayer, calendered, clay-filled grades and clay-coated or uncoated multi-ply, biaxially oriented coextrusions. Within these grades we can vary tensile, tear strength, opacity, smoothness, and whiteness—all geared to the specific application.”
There are a lot of variables outlined in that statement, and it doesn’t specifically mention some of the base materials that are typically used to produce synthetic papers. Common film types include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS).
As an example of the different materials being offered, Mead points to the availability of Wausau Coated Products’ clay-coated PE, clay-coated PP, or clay-coated PE/PP combinations. “Depending on the film, these can be more or less tear-resistant and/or conformable,” he says.
While strength and durability appeal to many applications, what makes synthetics attractive is the high-quality printing that goes along with the toughness. There are many applications in consumer goods categories that use synthetics to enhance the shelf appeal of products.
As a matter of fact, Giblin says the tag and label industry is the largest segment for the synthetic market. “These include wrap-around labels, in-mold labels, tags, and a multitude of pressure-sensitive products,” he says.
In-mold labeling (IML) is a good example of what synthetic papers bring to the table. With IML, the labels are positioned on the containers at the time they are being formed (either blow-molded or injection-molded). They have to withstand the rigors of the high heat of molten plastic, without burning and without distorting. Synthetics have proven a more reliable substrate than paper.
Potential uses for synthetic papers include virtually any application that requires long-term durability, says Mike Mead, marketing manager for Wausau Coated Products. “Synthetic papers are chemical-resistant, water-resistant, tear-resistant, and generally more durable than paper.” In addition, synthetic papers provide an ease of printability, he says.
Paul Mitcham, director of marketing and sales support for Yupo Corporation America, concurs with this assessment saying, “YUPO [synthetic paper] is waterproof, tear-resistant, stain- and scratch-resistant, and highly durable, reproducing printed images consistently and accurately.”
John Giblin, VP of marketing for Granwell Products, mentions some of the different varieties and selection criteria to consider. “Today, there’s a wide range of coated and uncoated, biaxially-oriented, calendered, cast, and blown-film-type synthetic papers available and it’s important to choose the right synthetic paper for the application,” he says. “For example, our Polylith product line includes a wide range of monolayer, calendered, clay-filled grades and clay-coated or uncoated multi-ply, biaxially oriented coextrusions. Within these grades we can vary tensile, tear strength, opacity, smoothness, and whiteness—all geared to the specific application.”
There are a lot of variables outlined in that statement, and it doesn’t specifically mention some of the base materials that are typically used to produce synthetic papers. Common film types include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS).
As an example of the different materials being offered, Mead points to the availability of Wausau Coated Products’ clay-coated PE, clay-coated PP, or clay-coated PE/PP combinations. “Depending on the film, these can be more or less tear-resistant and/or conformable,” he says.
While strength and durability appeal to many applications, what makes synthetics attractive is the high-quality printing that goes along with the toughness. There are many applications in consumer goods categories that use synthetics to enhance the shelf appeal of products.
As a matter of fact, Giblin says the tag and label industry is the largest segment for the synthetic market. “These include wrap-around labels, in-mold labels, tags, and a multitude of pressure-sensitive products,” he says.
In-mold labeling (IML) is a good example of what synthetic papers bring to the table. With IML, the labels are positioned on the containers at the time they are being formed (either blow-molded or injection-molded). They have to withstand the rigors of the high heat of molten plastic, without burning and without distorting. Synthetics have proven a more reliable substrate than paper.
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