Clearwater Paper unveils Velora lightweight board, slashing carton costs without sacrificing strength

USA – Clearwater Paper has launched Velora, a lightweight folding carton paperboard that delivers dependable performance and higher yield while meeting food-contact standards, offering converters a cost-effective alternative to premium SBS grades.

The new cartonboard meets key environmental and regulatory standards, including Sustainable Forestry Initiative fiber sourcing certification and FDA compliance for food contact.

Arsen Kitch, president and CEO of Clearwater Paper, explained that Velora is a strategic portfolio expansion purpose-built for value, efficiency, and dependable converting performance.

He noted that it complements the premium Candesce brand while giving customers a strong domestic lightweight option.

Why Lightweighting Matters Now

Converters face mounting pressure to cut material costs while maintaining packaging integrity.

Ruomeng Pang, vice president of marketing strategy, noted that converters want trusted performance, reliable supply, and lower cost per carton.

She added that Velora’s optimized fiber blend delivers the strength and printability customers need while helping reduce overall material costs.

Lightweighting delivers environmental wins alongside cost savings.

By reducing fiber per carton, converters produce more units per ton of paperboard, lowering transportation emissions and raw material consumption.

For brand owners, lighter packaging means lower shipping costs and improved supply chain efficiency.

A Strategic Response to Market Pressures

Industry experts say reducing and simplifying packaging through lightweighting may ease pressure on brands facing rising input costs and sustainability mandates.

The shift toward paper-based, lightweight solutions is particularly notable in the dairy space, where folding cartons for milk and yogurt have seen significant material reduction innovations.

Clearwater Paper produces Velora in the US using domestic and imported materials, offering stable supply and consistent lead times, a critical advantage when supply chain disruptions have become the norm.

The Bottom Line

For converters and brand owners, Velora answers two simultaneous pressures: cutting packaging costs and improving environmental performance.

By offering a lightweight board that maintains the strength and printability of heavier grades, Clearwater Paper enables customers to achieve both goals without compromising quality or compliance.

As the packaging industry shifts toward fiber-based solutions, Velora proves that lighter can indeed be better.

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