[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Hansol Paper announced on the 14th that it has applied its eco-friendly paper packaging material 'Protego' to Yuhan-Kimberly's 'Kleenex KF94 Comfort Fit Mask.'
The 'Kleenex KF94 Comfort Fit Mask' is a product whose all raw materials are produced domestically and uses a filter approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, making it safe for anyone to use with confidence.
Instead of the existing vinyl packaging material, Protego, which allows for paper-type separate disposal, was applied, and no plastic zipper was used, resulting in excellent recyclability.
Due to the nature of quarantine masks, maintaining KF (particle blocking) performance is essential, so plastic film materials have mainly been used for mask packaging materials until now.
Hansol Paper developed a product capable of maintaining KF performance based on the high barrier properties of Protego through close cooperation with Yuhan-Kimberly, and it was used as the packaging material for the Kleenex KF94 Comfort Fit Mask.
Hansol Paper's Protego, named after the Latin word meaning 'to protect,' combines specially manufactured base paper with Hansol Paper's unique coating technology, featuring high barrier properties that block oxygen, moisture, and odors, which were difficult to achieve with conventional paper packaging materials. It can enhance preservation without deterioration of contents, making it applicable for packaging various products such as food and daily necessities.
Protego is produced using pulp sourced sustainably certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and has proven its eco-friendliness by obtaining certifications such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), and recycling certification from UL, a U.S. safety standards certification body.
A Yuhan-Kimberly official stated, "We will strive to develop environmentally less burdensome products, including the application of Protego paper packaging, and aim to achieve a sales ratio of over 95% for products using sustainable materials by 2030."
A Hansol Paper official said, "Recently, there has been an overwhelming interest and inquiries from domestic and international customers regarding eco-friendly packaging materials such as Protego. Hansol Paper plans to lead the development of paper materials and eco-friendly new materials that can reduce plastic dependency based on its technological capabilities in the paper material field and strengthen ESG management."
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