Stora Enso Provides Wilfa with Wood Fiber-based, Biodegradable Foam for Packaging

Papira is a bio-based and biodegradable foam made of wood fibers that are sourced from sustainably managed forests. It is fully recyclable within standard paper and board recycling and has high shock-absorbing qualities.

Jan. 2, 2025 - Stora Enso announced that Wilfa, a Norwegian-owned company and a leading supplier of small electrical items in the Nordic countries, will use Stora Enso's bio-based and biodegradable* foam — Papira® — made of wood fibers to package its ProBaker kitchen mixer.

According to Stora Enso, Wilfa was seeking sustainable alternatives in packaging materials for their ProBaker kitchen mixer and needed a solution that could meet their demands on sustainability without compromising on protective features and design.

Stora Enso developed protective inserts for the Wilfa ProBaker featuring a combination of Papira and corrugated board. The blend of these two wood-based materials meant Wilfa was provided a packaging solution with the protection needed and an aesthetic appeal that went perfectly with the clean Nordic design of the ProBaker.

"With its 15 kg, solid construction and multiple accessories included, this was the perfect match for us," said Arnt Sandvik Nilsen, Category Director at Wilfa. "It's still early in the process of changing the packaging, but with a common goal to reduce and reuse, we aim to test Papira together with ProBaker in the future."

Stora Enso explained, "Currently we work with selected projects and companies to test, build knowledge, and prepare for implementation. Wilfa is one of our partners that actively supports the development of Papira, and the ProBaker solution stands as a shining example of a sustainable packaging solution in the electrical appliances industry."

Papira is a bio-based and biodegradable foam made of wood fibers that are sourced from sustainably managed forests. It is fully recyclable** within standard paper and board recycling and has high shock-absorbing qualities.

Stora Enso noted that the protective inserts for the 15 kg ProBaker passed the ISTA 3A drop test. And the new design reduces foam usage by 50 percent and decreases overall box volume by 11 percent. The reduction in volume not only lowers logistics costs (affects palletizing, storage, shipment, etc.) but also helps minimize emissions.

The combined use of Papira and corrugated board also ensures a hassle-free experience for the end consumer, as the entire packaging is classified as a mono-material and is easily recycled as paper.

Stora Enso is working on scaling from pilot towards industrial production.

NOTES:

*The biodegradation and disintegration of Papira under screening home composting conditions has been tested by Normec OWS.

** Recyclable according to Cepi Version 2, score 100/100.

Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, and wooden construction, and one of the largest private forest owners in the world.

SOURCE: Stora Enso