Airlaid nonwovens driving innovation in sustainable food packaging

Airlaid nonwovens driving innovation in sustainable food packaging

Transforming food presentation with nonwovens

Airlaid nonwovens – based on a process originally developed in Denmark – have found a broad number of applications in the food and beverage industry ranging from absorbent food pads and packaging to thermoformed trays and moulded tableware.

The airlaid process emerged from the search for a dry alternative to conventional papermaking – particularly for forming webs containing short pulp fibres – and its initial invention is attributed to Danish inventor Karl Krøyer in the 1960s.

By dispersing fibres in an air stream and depositing them onto a perforated moving belt, he opened the path to a dry-forming method that avoided the energy demand and water handling involved in conventional papermaking. 

During the 1970s and 1980s, companies such as DanWeb and M&J Fibretech refined this early concept, enabling wood pulp to be blended with short synthetic or natural fibres to create bulky, soft and surprisingly strong sheet materials. The resulting webs had a loft and tactile quality well beyond tissue grades, yet their density and strength could be precisely controlled.

Uniformity

Modern airlaid systems build on this foundation with a high level of technical sophistication. Today’s forming heads create exceptionally uniform webs with a balanced CD/MD (cross and machine direction) strength profile at industrial widths and high line speeds. Through-air drying, introduced by the early Danish pioneers, has also matured into a robust technology for wide and complex multi-layer constructions. Manufacturers now combine airlaid with other nonwoven processes to produce substrates that are consistent, stable and readily converted – qualities that have proved essential for applications in which both functionality and appearance matter. Just as importantly, the airlaid process enables the flexible engineering of 100% natural fibre combinations.

Moisture management

In food packaging, these qualities translate directly into value. Airlaid pads for meat, fish and fresh produce address one of the industry’s most persistent challenges – moisture management. Their highly uniform cellulose structure absorbs and retains excess liquid with remarkable efficiency, preserving freshness while keeping the pack clean and visually appealing. Consumers instinctively equate dryness with quality, and a discreet nonwoven pad plays a central role in maintaining that impression. By preventing pooling, preserving colour and delivering a cleaner opening experience, the material helps reduce waste and extend shelf life at a time when retailers and brand owners are seeking every operational advantage. See more.

You can read South Asia's famous Non Woven online Magazine through this link: https://nonwovenasianews.com/

Source: Online/NAN