I have 25 lives because our flexible packaging paper can be recycled up to 25 times

I’m no dinosaur because our flexible packaging paper is the future

I’m better at recycling because our flexible packaging paper can be disposed of as waste paper

I’m smarter than plastic because our flexible packaging paper is the perfect protection

Pack it in paper

When it comes to packaging, barrier paper offer the same performance as plastic for many applications. We’ll show you what barrier paper can do, how they run smoothly on existing packaging machinery, and how to successfully switch to paper. Regulatory compliance? Standardisable? Single-material? Recyclable?

80 %

for paper

41 %

for plastic

Source: Eurostat, 2024; European Paper Recycling Council, Monitoring Report 2023

CO₂ emissions per tonne produced

0.9 t

for paper

6.4 t

for plastic

Source: Plastics Europe, Plastics – the Facts 2021 + oxidisation of PP; EcoInvent 3.6 – coated paper production + municipal incineration of paperboard; 30.08.2023

Example: Average EPR costs across 19 European countries

304 € / t

for paper

679 € / t

for plastic

Source: Simulation using Recyda software

The area of European forests is growing every day.

1,500

Football pitches

Source: FAO data, 2005 – 2020

Koehler meets most of its energy needs from sustainable sources

85 %

for electricity

74 %

for heating

Source: Koehler

Fresh fibres at Koehler

14.9 %

controlled cultivation

85.1 %

certified sources

Source: Koehler 2022

Paper Store

Discover paper-based packaging solutions for food and consumer goods

“Pack It in Paper” on Tour

Aldi Süd

September 3, 2026, Mülheim an der Ruhr

How can we meet the PPWR requirements without compromising on efficiency? We'll find out how in today's episode.

Griesson de Beukelaer

August 31, 2026, Polch

What if you could cut plastic in food packaging significantly – without changing the primary packaging at all?

Papierzentrum

August 27, 2026, Gernsbach

Die Katze ist zurück aus der Sommerpause – heutiger Stopp: das Papierzentrum Gernsbach. Hier lernen die Papierfachkräfte von morgen ihr Handwerk und feilen an einem Hightech-Material.

REWE

June 17, 2026, Köln

What’s the first thing you reach for when you’re standing in front of a supermarket shelf? Whatever catches your eye and feels good in your hand. And products you hold in your hand are usually the ones you end up buying.

nucao

June 15, 2026, Leipzig

Paper doesn’t run on modern packaging machines designed for plastic? Not a chance. Nucao easily debunks this myth, as the confectionery manufacturer packages its entire product line in Paper from Koehler paper.

Procter & Gamble

June 12, 2026, Schwalbach am Taunus

A package’s job is short, but its life after that can be very long. That’s why we’re exploring how packaging can become tomorrow’s raw material rather than yesterday’s waste.

Nestlé

June 12, 2026, Frankfurt am Main

Packaging small portions individually is no easy task. Yet single-serve packaging is necessary, especially in the convenience and out-of-home sectors.

Bad Wimpfen

June 11, 2026, Bad Wimpfen

Large discount retailers handle massive volumes of goods and must pay particular attention to efficiency—including when it comes to packaging. In this context, paper not only reduces the amount of plastic used but also lowers EPR costs.

Ritter Sport

June 10, 2026, Waldenbuch

This innovative brand sets the standard across the entire chocolate industry and serves as a model for many other manufacturers.

Ulm

June 9, 2026, Ulm

Major retail companies play a key role in deciding which product packaging to use.

Koehler Paper

June 8, 2026, Kehl

This is where the flexible packaging papers are produced, which can be recycled up to 25 times.

Cardboard cat on a cart as a promotional figure for ChocoFlex chocolate with roasted almonds and the slogan "I have 25 lives"

Paper Stories

Case studies and background stories on the switch to paper-based packaging

Packaging Reimagined

It’s Tuesday evening, a couple of minutes after 6:30. Robert carries his shopping basket as he rushes through the supermarket, well aware that he only has fifteen minutes to do all his shopping before picking up his daughter from training. It’s his usual routine. But something’s different today. Fancier. Better. Even though he’s done this exact run in this exact store countless times before. He pauses in the middle of the aisle, looks around, and suddenly realizes what has changed: Nearly everything used to be wrapped in plastic, and now many of the products on the shelves are packed in paper instead.

Paper closes the loop

Packaging makes many promises: recyclable, circular, eco-friendly – the sheer variety of labels is confusing. But a promise only counts when it is kept. This is exactly where paper and plastic part ways.

PPWR: Which packaging solutions are fit for the future?

The PPWR is making recyclability a decisive criterion for packaging. Alexander Rauer explains why reducing material complexity can make regulatory planning easier. A case study comparing two pasta packs shows how differently a composite structure and barrier paper perform in recycling.

Why the Carbon Footprint Is Only Part of the Story

The Product Carbon Footprint is an important metric – but it does not tell the full sustainability story. Recyclability and circularity also determine a packaging solution’s overall environmental performance.

A Packaging Material on the Rise

Protecting products while supporting circularity – today's packaging papers have to do both. Dispersion barrier coatings provide the key to safeguarding sensitive goods while keeping paper recyclable.

A small truck with the Koehler cat on its way through Germany

On Tour with the Koehler Cat

What can paper achieve as a packaging material today? Koehler Paper explored this question with a larger-than-life cat in an origami-style design and demonstrated during a roadshow where paper-based packaging solutions are already a viable alternative today.

Paper strengthens brands

Paper protects products. But it can do more than that: it changes how people perceive brands. Packaging has long since become more than just a shell, a barrier and a means of transport. It is a signal – for quality, responsibility and trust.

Over-engineered? Why less barrier can be more

For years, packaging meant maximum barrier, maximum protection. Modular barrier papers demonstrate how tailored barrier solutions can effectively combine product protection, recyclability, and material efficiency.

Breakfast with a Future

From fruity to chocolatey, porridge offers a quick and easy breakfast solution for hassle-free daily routines. RUF and Koehler Paper demonstrate how practical convenience and recyclable paper packaging can be combined.

Sustainability on a Roll

Cutlery wrapped in plastic foil: It’s hygienic and practical in the catering industry—but it generates a lot of plastic waste. Now there’s a recyclable alternative made of paper.

Wow Instead of Meow – Cat on the Road

A cat has many lives, just like paper. To raise awareness of paper packaging, a special cat was out and about in Berlin.

Time for Tea!

Tea lovers can recycle Leros herbal tea packaging with their regular paper waste. The tea manufacturer uses high-tech paper—and is right on trend.

Make packaging more sustainable, reduce EPR costs

Paper isn't just a more sustainable alternative to plastic for many types of packaging. It also offers clear advantages in terms of overall costs, as is evident when comparing packaging for oatmeal.

Living Many Lives

Flexible packaging papers are on the rise. This means empty waffle bags can go straight into paper recycling – and come back as premium packaging for luxury watches.