UPM extends PFAS-free grease barrier technology to label papers

FINLAND – UPM Specialty Materials has introduced a label face paper using its grease-barrier technology without per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, marking the first time the company has applied the approach beyond packaging papers.

The product, UPM Asendo 80, arrives as European Union rules under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation restrict PFAS in food-contact packaging across the bloc.

According to UPM, converters supplying food-contact and other grease-sensitive uses, including olive oil packaging, require label papers that can meet performance requirements without PFAS-based chemistry. 

The launch adds an 80gsm basis weight to the company’s range, extending its barrier portfolio into label formats.

Independent Verification Supports Converter Documentation

UPM Specialty Materials said no PFAS are added to its papers during production, and that all grades are checked by independent third-party laboratories, giving converters the documentation needed for their customers. 

This verification matters for label producers whose brand-owner clients must demonstrate compliance with tightening chemical restrictions across European markets. 

Regulatory scrutiny of PFAS has intensified as authorities classify certain compounds as persistent and potentially harmful, prompting formulators to pursue fluorine-free alternatives.

Print and Certification Compatibility Broadens Appeal

UPM Asendo 80 can be used with different adhesive types, is suitable for UV flexo and UV inkjet printing, and is offered with FSC or PEFC certification. 

It meets food-contact requirements set by the US Food and Drug Administration and Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. 

This combination of print versatility and dual regulatory recognition positions the grade for converters serving both European and North American markets, where documentation requirements differ but increasingly converge on restricting fluorinated substances.

Barrier Technology Carries Packaging Provenance

Kirsi Lahtela, product manager at UPM Specialty Materials, said bringing the company’s barrier technology from packaging into UPM Asendo 80 gave label converters access to grease resistance validated over years of use in demanding packaging applications. 

She added that it helped converters grow and win by opening the door to higher-value label applications. 

In May, UPM Specialty Materials, Michelman and BOBST worked on two paper-based packaging concepts for companies responding to EU packaging rules, including the Single-Use Plastics Directive. 

That collaboration brought together fibre materials, bio-based coatings and coating line expertise to create packaging structures intended for direct industrial use. 

The label launch represents a further step in extending fluorine-free barrier chemistry across format categories as regulatory deadlines approach.

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