Packaging's "Green in Progress"
Sustainable Packaging Weekly Observation
Paper Prices · Expo · Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic · Craft
September 24, 2026 ｜ Longlidao Packaging
Nine Dragons and Shanying Issue Post-Holiday Price Increase Notices at Multiple Bases
Starting September 22, leading paper mills including Nine Dragons and Shanying have successively issued post-National Day price increase notices; in early to mid-September, corrugated paper first fell and then rose, with the average daily price of AA-grade 120g corrugated paper at approximately 3,080 yuan/ton, up more than 11% year-on-year.
Leading Paper Companies Raise Prices Collectively, with Larger Increases
Smurfit Westrock, Saica, Stora Enso, and others announced increases of 80–100 euros per ton; kraftliner board rose by approximately 80 euros/ton in September, further widening the price gap with recycled paper grades.
Why Do "Downtime + Price Increases" Often Appear Together?
Paper mills proactively adjust supply through downtime maintenance and coordinate with price increase notices to stabilize market expectations. This is a common pace-management approach during the double-festival stocking season, and it also reminds downstream buyers to pay attention to inventory and order timing.
"Green Innovation Packaging, Circular Future"
With an exhibition area exceeding 30,000㎡, the event gathered 400+ exhibitors and 35,000+ professional visitors, focusing on four major sectors: degradable materials, circular packaging, intelligent manufacturing equipment, and industry-customized solutions.
Three Highlights of the Expo
Bio-based degradable materials are accelerating toward commercialization, solvent-free lamination processes are becoming widespread, and recycling closed-loop technologies are being implemented——green packaging is moving from "single substitution" toward "equal emphasis on function and degradation."
Bamboo Raw Material
Bamboo Product Processing
Bamboo Products Surpass 15,000 Varieties, Annual Output Value Exceeds 520 Billion Yuan
"Accelerating the development of 'bamboo as a substitute for plastic'" has been written into the 2026 "15th Five-Year Plan" outline; products such as bamboo-based adhesive tape, bamboo fiber composite film, and bamboo straws are accelerating from the laboratory to the market.
Why Is Bamboo Suitable as a Packaging Raw Material?
Bamboo grows quickly and has strong carbon sequestration capacity. From bamboo pulp molding to bamboo-based films, its naturally renewable properties give it a unique advantage in the "plastic reduction" wave.
Corrugated Board: A Natural "Sandwich Structure"
The combination of top liner + corrugating medium + bottom liner provides strength and cushioning. Fine fluting and lightweight design make cartons "thin yet strong," achieving source reduction through structure.
Pulp Molding: The Second Life of Waste Paper
Egg trays, meal boxes, and industrial liners mostly use pulp molding. The raw materials are recyclable, and the finished products are degradable and compostable——a mature path for "paper replacing plastic."
Printing Upgrade: Solvent-Free Lamination and Water-Based Inks
Solvent-free lamination reduces VOC emissions, and water-based inks make the printing process more environmentally friendly——green is not just in materials, but also in process details.
Pulp Molded Container
Pulp Egg Tray
Digital Printing
The cost of small-batch, multi-version, and personalized customization continues to decline, making "one box, one design" creative packaging possible.
Smart Production Lines
Automated sorting, robotic packaging, and visual inspection work in coordination, ensuring quality consistency while achieving higher production efficiency.
Testing Support
Degradation performance, material composition, and barrier property testing equipment are becoming increasingly widespread, providing data support for green packaging "claims."
Green is not a slogan, but every detail in the process.
From a single sheet of corrugated board to a single pulp liner, sustainability is becoming the default answer for packaging.
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