Packaging is a key marketing tool and creating a visual impact to draw in the consumer requires a material that can help the brand stand out on the shelf, while enabling stunning structural design and an enhanced surface for eye-catching print.

A consistent range of high-end cardboards

“At Metsä Board our paperboards have a reputation for quality and for providing designers and converters with a range of products to help reinforce brand values,” says Christophe Baudry, Beautycare & Healthcare Commercial Director at the Finnish group.

Two years ago, Metsä Board launched Carta Allura, a new board specially designed for the luxury industry and offering a superior smoothness, but yet the same high brightness. "Alongside our other references, Carta Elega and Carta Solida, Carta Allura is making it through the high-end cosmetics market," says Christophe Baudry.

Aesthetic criteria

However, depending on the brand’s image, different aesthetic criteria can be used. For instance, luxury can be recognised through touch: sharply folded 90º angles on a box or the natural feel of an uncoated paperboard can all communicate quality. “The tactile nature of packaging material and how easily this can be enhanced is important,” adds Christophe Baudry. Visual appearance is also key as light interacts with materials and finishes. “Metsä Board’s range of cartonboards and linerboards are smooth and crisp, consistent in colour and quality and evenly distribute light across the sheet. They are designed to convey excellence and to accommodate a wide array of print techniques and finishes including gloss UV, embossing or hot foil stamps.”

Cartons using boards from Metsä Board have won four awards in the 2015 Pro Carton ECMA Awards and three in the 2016 edition, the competition organised by the European Carton Makers Associations (ECMA).

To ensure consistent quality, Metsä Board manufactures its own pulp, using only fresh fibres source from North European forests. "The full integration of pulp production - 100% of the pulp we use is produced by the group from traced and sustainably managed resources - enables us to guarantee the consistency of our cartonboard production," highlights Christophe Baudry.

“Helping brand owners and converters to choose the best cartonboard and linerboards for their luxury packaging from make-up, toiletries to skincare and fragrance is a fascinating journey,” concludes Christophe Baudry.