Kraft Paper Market

Market Overview

The global kraft paper market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period, 2023–2031.

The kraft paper market has witnessed remarkable development in recent years and is expected to grow tremendously during the forecast period.  Kraft Paper is mainly used in the bundling business by changing over it into sacks, pockets, wrapping papers, containers, jars, ridged sheets, and others.  Kraft papers are available in various textures and colors and are used in various industries such as food, bakery, and for packaging purposes. They are used in producing grocery and shopping bags, carryout bags, butcher wrap, multiwall shipping sacks, and gift wrappers. They are available in different varieties such as bleached, unbleached sack, and specialty kraft paper.  They are stronger than any other paper due to high sulfur ratio, high tensile energy absorption, high stiffness, and less lignin content. They are also used to store powder materials such as cement flour and animal feed. 

Market Dynamics

Customization and Improvisation of Kraft Paper

Kraft papers are available in many varieties.   The demand for customized products are rising, customers are demanding saturated kraft paper for laminated countertops, flooring, and other furniture due to its superior tear resistance quality and continuous design and decoration innovations.

The manufacturers are working on a versatile range of products in the improvised quality.  Silverton is using high-grade raw material to process kraft papers.  These are made eco-friendly by utilizing the pulp of a tree and natural colors to be used in art and craft classes in the schools and institutes. They are also used by the industry serving the designers and decorative items for interior decorations and gifts.

There are several factors, such as porosity, extensibility, printability, durability, coupled with strength equal to plastic or synthetic materials and is expected to increase the growth over the forecast period.

Focus on Greener Alternatives is Increasing the Adoption of Kraft Paper

There is a growing awareness among environmentalists and governments regarding the hazards of using plastic, prompting them to go for greener alternatives, thereby boosting sack kraft paper adoption. There is a ban on plastic in developed countries like the U.S., which has also led to an increase in demand for kraft paper.

The use of non-biodegradable products adversely affects the ecosystem and wildlife. There are cases of entanglement of marine animals by plastic debris. Ingestion of plastic can occur indirectly through the ingestion of prey species. Ingestion of plastics can have multiple effects on an organism’s health, such as reducing stomach capacity, leading to poor appetite, and a false sense of satiation. Approximately 2.5 million tonnes of plastic material emissions to oceans are expected to grow till 2050, Our World in Data. This has significantly encouraged the use of kraft papers.

Growing preference for paper-based packaging

Consumers are shifting their preferences toward eco-friendly products. Kraft paper is nowadays used for packaging as it does not draw any negative impact on the environment.  Kraft paper is produced from chemical pulp produced in the kraft process. Pulp produced by the kraft process is stronger than that made by other pulping processes. Kraft pulping removes most of the lignin present originally in the wood. Low lignin is important to the resulting strength of the paper, as the hydrophobic nature of the lignin leads to the formation of hydrogen bonds between cellulose in the fibers. Fully bleached kraft pulp is used to make high-quality paper where strength, whiteness, and resistance to yellowing are important.

They are used for many applications such as a plastic hazard free paper in paper sacks for cement, chemicals, consumer goods, flour bags, etc. They are also used in electrical insulation in large oil-filled transformers, lining particle boards. Also used as base paper for sandpaper, wrapping purposes.

Regional Analysis

The Asia-Pacific kraft paper market growth is marked by the increasing demand for kraft papers in heavily populated regions such as India and China, where kraft paper is mostly used in the production of packages to make certain cost savings, sustainability, and safety.  Also, there is an increase in the supply of kraft documents, which is employed in the manufacturing of bundles. In the Asia-Pacific region, the growing use of kraft papers is expected to increase the development of kraft paper industry in the healthcare, consumer durables, meat and beverage, building, and manufacturing sectors.

In Europe, the demand for kraft paper has increased due to construction activities and with the increasing awareness of eco-friendly products. The demand for kraft paper in Germany exceeded due to its supply to factories, and orders are placed by new customers going beyond existing contracts. The European Association facilitates the presence of a platform to share the market issue in the standardizing of policies and creating a channel of distribution.

The food sector is one of the areas where the European paper industry is expected to grow in the forecast period.  For individual packaging needs, prominent international companies are investing heavily in kraft paper’s R&D activities and establishing new warehouses to meet the increasing demand.

Segmental Analysis

The corrugated box segment holds the largest market share due to its ability to provide security from damage to transport products.  Reusable spinning cans are used due to which waste has been reduced. The total estimated export revenue of Kraft Paper Market is 1.31 billion dollars. The top exporters are Sweden, Austria, Russia, Canada, and the U.S.

Sack kraft paper is a porous kraft paper with high elasticity and high tear resistance, designed for packaging products with high demand for strength and durability. Hence there are myriad varieties available for different uses such as specialty kraft paper, virgin natural kraft paper, colored kraft paper, bleached kraft paper, poly-coated kraft paper, etc. New capacity of sack kraft is being added to the market to address the supply-demand gaps majorly contributed by the increasing production, investment in new machinery, and acquisitions.