Premium packaging made from recycled cartonboard? Quality comes from a cohesive overall concept
ARTICLE
Mayen, August 25, 2026 – Premium packaging needs to do more than create a high-quality first impression. From product protection and runnability to brand presentation: quality is not defined by a single characteristic. What matters is the interplay of material quality, structural design, graphic design, printing, finishing and converting.
Recyclability is also becoming increasingly important in packaging development. Regulatory requirements such as the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) are placing greater emphasis on designing packaging for recycling. Brands, packaging developers and converters need to bring functional, design, production-related and regulatory requirements together in a cohesive packaging concept. In the premium segment in particular, this is a significant challenge.
Premium is an overall concept
Whether packaging is perceived as high quality depends on several factors, with fibre-based packaging as well as others. For folding cartons, for example, a bright and uniform surface can be part of a premium concept. But a deliberately visible material structure can also create a high-quality impression if it fits the brand, the product and the design concept.
Material selection is an important part of packaging development. Structural design, graphic design and material ultimately need to work together and support the brand's positioning.
“For me, premium means one thing above all else: consistency between the brand promise, the product, and the packaging. Only then does trust develop.”
Philipp Keil, Strategic Business Development Manager Folding Boxboard
Validating material decisions through practical testing
Material selection should be based on the requirements of the specific packaging application. Cartonboard quality is not the only factor that matters; structural design, printing, finishing and converting also play a role.
How well these factors work together often only becomes clear in practice. Print trials, approval samples or sample production runs show how a cartonboard grade performs in the intended process and whether the desired result can be achieved. Technical data provides an important basis for assessment, but it cannot replace testing under real application conditions.
Recycled cartonboard for demanding packaging applications
For high-quality cartonboard packaging, the properties of the cartonboard need to be aligned with structural design, graphic design and converting. Depending on the application, different requirements may take priority, for example surface and print appearance, stiffness, reverse-side appearance or converting performance.
With IBIS and KIWI, WEIG offers two coated recycled cartonboard grades with different properties. IBIS features a high degree of whiteness on both the front and reverse sides and is particularly suitable for applications with high requirements for appearance and print quality. KIWI combines a coated front side with a brown reverse side, providing a different starting point for packaging design.
Premium starts with a clear objective
A clearly defined target should therefore be established at the outset: What impact should the packaging have at the point of sale? What technical requirements does it need to meet? Which production and converting processes are planned? And which regulatory criteria need to be taken into account during development?
The earlier these questions are clarified and the relevant partners are involved, the more effectively the packaging concept can be developed and tested in practice.
WEIG is sharing further perspectives on the use of recycled cartonboard in premium packaging on the company's LinkedIn channel. Follow us to make sure you do not miss any posts.
