DuPont’s Tyvek has been around for more than
50 years, serving a range of verticals with protective packaging and covering
solutions. Although back then the developers would have hardly thought that
synthetic paper would feature in the 2016 stop-motion animation film, ‘Kubo and
the Two Strings’. Also, who would have imagined the creation of Bella, the
bride, from recycled medical packaging wastes.
There is more than mere ink and paper to the progressive growth story of
the synthetic paper market. The highly established industry is now undergoing a
phase that goes beyond the traditional scope of applications.
Synthetic paper is a polymer where durability
of plastics meets the cost-efficiency of fabrics. These high-density
polyethylene (HDPE) and Biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) class of
polymers are synthesized with petroleum as its base component. Stark visual
resemblance to traditional paper made from wood pulp is the only thing it has
in common. This artificial version of paper is used where packaging, printing,
and converting applications have special safety requirements. For instance,
consider waterproof packaging of sterile medical equipment that can be easily
torn off in a jiffy during emergencies, or protective suits for personnel
working in a hazardous environment, which needs to be comfortable enough to
allow movement. Apart from these, it also finds usage in tamperproof labeling
to reclaim lost profit margins from counterfeited products.
