Eco-friendly wet-strong printing paper made 100% with recycled polyester derived from used PET bottles

Teijin Limited announced today that it has developed a water-resistant, wet-strong printing paper made entirely with the company's ECOPET recycled polyester fiber derived from used PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles.

As a polyester material, the printing paper is highly water resistant compared to conventional pulp-derived paper and is not easily torn when wet, making it ideal for use in outdoor or wet locations. Potential applications include hazard maps, triage tags and other outdoor or disaster supplies, outdoor posters, recording papers, and labels and price tags for fresh or frozen foods.

The new printing paper is as thin as conventional printing paper, so it can be used normally in regular laser printers with no need for manual feed. Also, unlike conventional water-resistant printing paper made of film, the paper enables easy scoring, gluing and writing with pens or pencils. As a wet laid nonwoven fabric made with the same method as machine-made Japanese paper, it offers levels of flexibility and texture not achievable with film-based printing paper.

Teijin developed the paper in collaboration with Nisshinbo Postal Chemical Co., Ltd., which will handle sales limited to Japan through trading companies and printer makers.

Teijin's ECOPET recycled polyester fiber is used in a wide range of products, including apparel, uniforms, interior items such as curtains and carpets, industrial materials such as tents, banners and filters, and civil engineering materials.