Fibre-based packaging company Graphic Packaging has launched its new coated recycled paperboard (CRB) for use in commercial packaging.

Dubbed PaceSetter Rainier, the new paperboard is named after Mount Rainier in the US.

According to Graphic, its new paperboard solution combines the characteristics of solid bleached sulphate (SBS) alongside recycled content.

PaceSetter Rainier is said to offer better brightness and whiteness than traditional CRB and can rival other SBS-based and folding boxboard products.

The material also offers improved surface smoothness, which enhances printability and tactile performance.

Available in 12pt to 18pt callipers, PaceSetter Rainier is suitable for healthcare, beauty, confectionery, dry goods, dairy, and other industrial packaging applications. 

Graphic's senior vice-president for paperboard sales Michael Weinhold said: “This is a breakthrough for the fibre-based packaging industry and one we know is important for our customers and consumers.

“According to recent research by the Boston Consulting Group, 78% of consumers said they are likely to purchase a product based on a ‘made with recycled content’ claim, and 64% said it was important for packaging to contain recycled content.

“Our customers have been asking for a premium paperboard solution that offers a bright, white, and smooth printing surface that also includes recycled content to help support their packaging sustainability goals. We believe PaceSetter Rainier will be a game-changer for them.”

Graphic has invested an estimated $1.7bn in CRB projects across the US, including in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and in Waco, Texas.

The company is strengthening its capacity and technical capability in CRB production to deliver fibre-based packaging with recycled content to more customers.