UPM and Paramelt launch home-compostable grease-proof paper
UPM Specialty Papers and Paramelt have officially unveiled a new bio-based, paper packaging concept. The solution is specifically designed to meet the rigorous grease-barrier requirements of bakery, fast food, and convenience-packaging applications.
The collaborative concept, which will be showcased at interpack 2026 in May, combines UPM’s high-performance barrier base papers with Paramelt’s newly developed water-based coating, Aquavate Bio SB 2383.
Traditionally, packaging for grease-rich foods like pastries or burgers has relied on plastic-laminated papers, which are difficult to recycle. This new partnership solves that challenge by using UPM Solide Lucent or UPM Prego papers as a substrate, treated with Paramelt’s bio-based coating.
The breakthrough lies in the coating’s composition: it is made entirely of biodegradable components. Both the paper and the coating have been individually validated as home-compostable, offering a clear end-of-life solution for packaging that is too contaminated by food waste to enter traditional recycling streams.
Crucially for manufacturers, the new material is designed to work with existing machinery. It is compatible with standard coating processes and can be used on current conversion lines, including vertical form fill seal (VFFS) equipment.
“Brand owners and converters are looking for technologies that integrate easily into their current production setups,” said Leon Krings, business development manager at Paramelt. “Aquavate Bio SB 2383 is designed to deliver high-performance barrier properties without requiring additional capital investment in new hardware.”
The launch comes as the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) begins to bite, putting pressure on retailers to find fibre-based alternatives to small-format flexible plastics. By providing a heat-sealable, grease-resistant, and home-compostable option, UPM and Paramelt are positioning themselves at the forefront of the “beyond fossils” movement.
Esa Saukkonen, manager of packaging portfolio development at UPM R&D, noted: “By combining our barrier paper expertise with Paramelt’s innovative coatings, we are proving that fibre-based materials can match the performance of plastic while meeting the highest sustainability standards.”
Samples of the new bio-based concept will be available for industry testing at interpack 2026, where the companies aim to demonstrate its viability for everything from sandwich wraps to snack sachets.
