Water-based Coated Paper

Water-based coated paper is a base paper or paperboard given a thin aqueous (water-based) barrier coating, so it resists grease, oil and moisture without PE lamination or wax. It is the technical family behind coated food-packaging papers — the stock converters print, slit, sheet or form into wrappers, bags, cartons and food containers.

As a paper supplier and sourcing partner, Bofeng supplies water-based coated paper in rolls or sheets across a wide range of base papers and grammages. Tell us your converting process and the barrier your end use demands, and we will match base paper, coating weight and width to your line.

What is water-based coated paper

In water-based coating, an aqueous dispersion of barrier polymer is applied on-machine to a base paper or board and dried to a thin, continuous coating. The coating slows the passage of oil, grease, moisture and, in barrier formulations, oxygen and other chemicals, and can be formulated to heat-seal — properties that in conventional packaging come from PE lamination or wax. Because the carrier is water rather than an organic solvent, the coated sheet keeps the paper's recyclability and gives converters a way to reduce plastic in a pack. Typical systems include acrylic-based and other modified-polymer emulsions, and the barrier is matched to the end use.

Key material properties

• Oil, grease and moisture barrier. The aqueous coating keeps oils, fats and moisture from soaking through the paper, protecting the food and keeping the outside of the pack clean — the property that lets coated paper replace PE-laminated or waxed papers in many food packs.
• Heat-sealing. Depending on the coating system, the coated surface heat-seals at moderate temperatures, so bags, pouches and cartons can be formed without extra adhesive or lamination.
• Printability and converting. The coated surface is smooth and takes high-quality printing, and the paper can be slit to roll widths, cut to sheets, or die-cut and folded for automated packing lines.
• Base-paper versatility. The coating is applied over white or natural kraft, greaseproof paper, cupstock or board, so the grade is tuned to the end use rather than sold as one fixed sheet.
• Food-contact safety. Food grades are made from food-contact materials that meet international food-contact safety requirements; supporting documentation for compliance review is available offline on request.

Supply forms and options

• Rolls or sheets, white or natural (unbleached) base paper.
• Base paper, coating weight, slit width and printing matched to your converting line; working ranges are listed under Specifications.

Typical end uses

As a barrier base, water-based coated paper is commonly converted into:

• Bakery, fast-food and takeaway wrappers
• Paper bags, natural and white
• Folding cartons, boxes and food trays
• Placemats and table covers
• Cold- and hot-drink cupstock

Specific coated grades — unbleached kraft, greaseproof, aluminium-barrier and cupstock — have their own family pages listed under Related.

How to choose and order

Choose the base paper by the look you want (white or natural), the stiffness your format needs and the converting step you run (printing, slitting, die-cutting). Choose the coating by the barrier required and by whether the pack must heat-seal. Request samples to trial on your own line — tell us the end use, base colour and grammage, and the barrier you need, and we will recommend a starting grade.

Bofeng New Materials supplies water-based coated paper in rolls and sheets to paper converters and food-packaging producers worldwide.

Request samples or a quote: jason.zhan@bofmat.com

Related: Water-based Coated Unbleached Kraft Paper · Water-based Coated Greaseproof Paper · Water-based Coated Aluminium Barrier Paper · Water-based Coated Cupstock Paper