What is White Kraft paper?

Introduction

White kraft paper is a durable, eco-friendly material widely used in packaging, crafting, and branding applications. Unlike traditional brown kraft paper, it undergoes a bleaching process to achieve a sleek, white surface while maintaining the strength and flexibility that kraft paper is known for. If you have seen white kraft paper before and wondering how they are made, the different types of them and how they compare to other kinds, this blog is all you need to know about white kraft paper and white paper bags. 

What is White Kraft Paper?

White kraft paper is a versatile material widely used in packaging, printing, and crafting. Known for its strength, eco-friendliness, and sleek appearance, it is an excellent alternative to traditional brown kraft paper. Its smooth white surface is achieved through a bleaching process that retains the paper's durability while enhancing its aesthetic appeal, making it ideal for branding and creative applications. There are different types of kraft paper and uses of them in different situations. 

Different Types of White Kraft Paper

White kraft paper comes in various forms and grades, each suitable for different applications based on its strength, texture, and finish. Understanding the different types helps you make informed decisions.

• Coated vs. Uncoated: Coated kraft paper has a thin layer added to enhance its texture and finish, making it glossy and smooth, ideal for printing and packaging. Uncoated kraft paper retains its natural feel, providing a more organic, raw look.
• Recycled vs. Virgin Fiber: Recycled white kraft paper is made from post-consumer materials, making it highly sustainable. Virgin fibre kraft paper, on the other hand, offers greater durability and a premium feel, though it’s less eco-friendly.
• Weight Grades (GSM): White kraft paper comes in various weight grades, typically ranging from 40 to 120 GSM. Lightweight versions are used for wrapping and tissue, while heavier grades are ideal for packaging and heavy-duty bags.

Benefits and Uses of White Kraft Paper

There are numerous benefits to using white kraft paper for food packaging; for example, it is more healthful, safer for the environment, and cheaper than other options.

To save waste, it's preferable to package food with white Kraft paper. Total wood pulp production yields white kraft paper, which can be recycled and reused indefinitely; food-grade white kraft paper is more commonly sourced from an artificial forest farm than a natural one due to the use of artificial forests and environmentally friendly reforestation practises in the former.

Expenses are reduced, saving money. For food storage, white Kraft paper is the standard. The cost of packaging will not go up due to switching to Kraft because it is more cost-effective.

Industries That Use White Kraft Paper

White kraft paper is widely used across multiple industries due to its flexibility, strength, and eco-friendliness. Businesses looking to enhance their packaging aesthetics while maintaining sustainability often choose this material.

• Retail and E-commerce: White kraft paper is popular in retail for making shopping bags, product wrapping, and branded packaging. Its sleek, customizable surface is perfect for branding and enhancing customer experience.
• Food and Beverage: Many restaurants and food outlets use white kraft paper for takeout bags, food wrapping, and packaging, particularly because it’s available in food-safe versions.
• Creative and Crafting: Artists and crafters use white kraft paper for gift wrapping, art projects, and DIY creations. Its smooth surface allows for easy printing, stamping, and painting, making it ideal for personalized designs.

White Kraft paper Vs. Brown Kraft paper

There are two primary types of Kraft paper: brown Kraft paper, which is typically used for packaging, and white Kraft paper, which is mainly used for printing due to its whiteness. Some may wonder, besides appearance, what distinguishes white Kraft paper from regular brown Kraft paper. The above indicated that the colour and use are genuinely different, and their production materials are certainly not the same. Still, many more comparisons can be made. In most cases, wood pulp is used to create standard brown Kraft paper. The difference between white and brown Kraft paper is that the former is created from bleached wood pulp, while the latter uses coloured wood pulp for its core and bottom layers.

Eco-friendly Recycled Kraft Paper Vs Normal Kraft Paper

We know that Kraft paper is eco-friendly packaging for two reasons: first, it is easily recyclable and reusable, and second, some varieties of Kraft paper are produced from recycled waste pulp. When comparing recycled Kraft paper to standard Kraft paper, the primary distinction is the raw ingredients used. Because recycled Kraft paper employs recycled pulp, and recycled pulp often has many impurities, recycled Kraft paper is slightly poorer in physical Kraft paper quality than the original wood pulp Kraft paper. The "drop powder" phenomenon will also show up in printing some recycled Kraft papers. As a result, original wood pulp Kraft paper is typically used for market packaging with stringent performance, safety, and hygiene requirements.

However, recycled Kraft papers are more commonly used for general packaging. This isn't because recycled Kraft paper is low-quality; instead, the raw materials used to make it are waste products. In terms of environmental preservation, however, recycled Kraft paper will use recycled pulp twice, considerably minimising the excessive use of forest resources, making it ideal for packaging luxury goods. Recycled Kraft paper is less expensive than traditional Kraft paper since it is made from recovered fibres.

The Weight of Kraft Paper

To get the actual weight of form, which is expressed in terms of grammes per square meter, you need only divide the length of Kraft paper by its specified width and height. However, G/SM is just a measurement technique and has nothing to do with Kraft paper's essential qualities and properties. Kraft paper of varying gramme weights likewise varies in thickness.

Suppose you don't have a micrometre, calliper, or other precision measuring device on hand. In that case, you can usually estimate the weight of a sheet of Kraft paper by rubbing it between your hands. Buy Kraft cardboard if it's appropriate for your goods without worrying too much about the thickness of documents, as the thickness of Kraft paper is proportional to its paperweight.

Suppose thin Kraft paper is used to make packaging products. In that case, the resulting lack of hardness can disrupt the printing process, reduce the printing plant's output, and even compromise the quality of the finished product. When printing, using thinner paper slows the press from 14,000 to 10,000 pages per hour, resulting in a 30% decrease in printing plant efficiency. Consequently, choosing whether to use thicker or thinner paper depends on the characteristics of the task at hand. When printing, it's essential to use high-quality Kraft paper so that the process goes as smoothly as possible and the final product lives up to the consumer's expectations.

What kind of paper is often included in a Kraft notebook? 

The cover of a typical notebook requires between 400 and 500 grammes of paper, whereas the internal page typically uses only 70 to 80 grammes. Brown Kraft paper and white Kraft paper can usually have fewer grammes used to achieve the requirements due to their superior physical qualities. If you're going with Kraft paper for the cover, you may often pick between 400 and 450 grammes. Two weights of Kraft paper are available to satisfy the demand: 50 grammes for the interior page and 70 grammes for the outside.

Brown Kraft paper, often used for the notebook's cover and back cover, is given a particular treatment to make it more durable and water resistant; the brown Kraft paper used for the notebook's inside pages, meanwhile, is smoother and lighter in colour. The qualities of Kraft paper include a soft paint that protects the eyes and a silky texture that improves the writing experience. Various types of Kraft paper are used to make notebooks, including white Kraft paper, American bull card, fine Kraft paper, writing papers, etc.

What sets apart 100% recycled Kraft paper from FSC-certified

While the raw materials employed in producing FSC-certified Kraft paper and 100% recycled Kraft paper are distinct, the end products are strikingly similar. The primary distinction between 100% recycled Kraft paper and FSC-certified Kraft paper is that the former uses original wood pulp as raw material for papermaking while the latter uses recycled pulp. As part of the Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) Green Certification programme, each roll of FSC-certified Kraft paper can be traced back to the exact forest farm that supplied the raw materials. One can purchase FSC Kraft paper and recycled Kraft paper of the same quality from the same source. One way in which these products are similar is that they all share a commitment to preserving the environment. FSC Kraft paper, for example, is typically manufactured using artificial forest wood as raw materials, while 100% environmentally friendly recycled Kraft paper, on the other hand, makes use of recycled pulp.

Where to Buy White Paper Bags?

When it comes to purchasing high-quality Kraft paper bags, look no further than Mr Bags. As a leading online retailer specializing in bags of all kinds, Mr Bags offers an extensive selection of Kraft paper options tailored to meet your unique needs. Whether you're looking for small paper bags for party favours, or large paper bags for retail products, Mr Bags has you covered. Shopping at Mr Bags guarantees not only a diverse range of styles and sizes but also competitive pricing that fits within your budget. 

Conclusions

White kraft paper is a durable, versatile, and eco-friendly material that is becoming increasingly popular across various industries such as retail, food, and crafting. Its combination of strength and visual appeal, alongside its sustainable properties, makes it an ideal choice for businesses that want both functionality and aesthetic appeal in their packaging solutions. Available in different grades, finishes, and thicknesses, white kraft paper caters to diverse needs, from lightweight wrapping to heavy-duty packaging.

Its recyclability and often recycled content make it a perfect fit for the growing demand for environmentally responsible materials. Moreover, the smooth surface of white kraft paper allows for easy customization, enabling businesses to enhance their branding through high-quality, visually appealing packaging. As sustainability continues to drive purchasing decisions, white kraft paper stands out as a leading choice for businesses and consumers alike.