PE Coated Kraft Paper for Food Packaging: Key Properties, Uses, and Selection Tips

For food brands and converters, packaging materials must be safe, reliable on high-speed equipment and consistent in appearance. PE-coated kraft paper and other poly-coated kraft grades are widely used for cups, bowls and takeaway containers because they combine kraft paper's strength with the barrier properties needed in food packaging.

What Is PE-Coated Kraft Paper?

Structure and Function

PE-coated kraft paper is kraft paper laminated with a thin polyethylene (PE) layer on one or both sides, turning absorbent paper into a water- and oil-resistant substrate suitable for direct food contact.

The kraft base provides tensile strength, stiffness and good runnability on cup and box forming lines. The PE coating is a continuous film that seals the pores of the paper surface so liquids and grease cannot migrate into the fibers during use.

Single-Side vs Double-Side Coating

In food packaging, two configurations cover most needs:

• Single-side PE:
  PE on the food-contact side only. Used for hot drink cups, soup cups and many salad or noodle bowls where internal barrier is critical and the outside should remain printable and more paper-like.

• Double-side PE:
  PE on both sides. Selected when both the product side and the outer surface face moisture or condensation, such as cold drink cups, ice cream cups or some frozen food containers.

The choice depends on the product (hot/cold, dry/oily) and on how the packaging is filled, stored and transported.

Why Kraft Paper Is a Good Base for Food Packaging

Mechanical Strength and Formability

Kraft paper produced via the sulfate process has high tear and tensile strength, which is important for cupstock and food boxes. When laminated with PE, it offers:

• Stiffness to keep cups, bowls and containers in shape under load.

• Resistance to tearing and edge damage during die-cutting, forming and stacking.

• Stable performance on standard cup and box forming machines.

Heavier grammages of brown kraft are often used for large salad bowls and heavy takeaway meals, while medium grammages are sufficient for smaller cups and side bowls.

Visual Appearance and Brand Positioning

Kraft paper supports different brand messages without changing the basic structure:

• Brown kraft communicates a natural, simple and "less plastic" image, which many food and beverage brands now prefer for sustainability communication.

• White or clay-coated surfaces allow high-quality printing and more vivid graphics for premium or retail-focused products.

Using one poly-coated kraft paper family in both brown and white versions lets brands align technical performance and visual strategy in a controlled way.

How Poly Coated Kraft Paper Actually Performs in Food Use

Liquid and Grease Resistance

A key reason to use PE-coated kraft paper is to avoid leaks and staining. The PE layer provides:

• Resistance to water, coffee, tea and soups.

• Protection against oils and fats from fried foods, sauces and dressings.

• Clean outer surfaces that maintain strength instead of softening.

Performance depends on coating weight and process control, so buyers should not assume all PE-coated kraft paper behaves the same; test data for water and oil resistance are important.

Temperature Range: Hot, Cold and Frozen

The same material family can cover different temperature conditions when correctly specified:

• Hot drinks and hot foods:
  Single-side PE-coated cupstock is widely used in paper cups and soup containers up to about 90–95 °C, maintaining structural integrity during consumption.

• Cold and chilled products:
  For cold drinks and chilled desserts, PE-coated kraft paper tolerates condensation without delaminating or losing stiffness when the coating and base paper are matched to the application.

• Frozen applications:
  Ice cream cups and certain frozen packs use double-side PE-coated kraft grades with formulations that remain flexible at low temperatures.

In all three segments, correct grammage, coating weight and forming parameters are as important as the material itself.

Strength in Delivery and Logistics

Food-service packaging must survive stacking, transport and handling, especially in takeaway and delivery systems. Compared with uncoated paper, poly-coated kraft paper offers better retention of stiffness and a lower risk of edge cracking or wicking at cut edges.

For larger formats (family-size bowls, big takeaway boxes), long-fiber kraft bases and higher grammages are preferred to keep deformation under control throughout distribution.

Where PE-Coated Kraft Paper Is Used in Food Packaging

Paper Cups

PE-coated kraft paper is one of the main raw materials for:

• Hot drink cups for coffee, tea and other beverages.

• Cold drink cups for juices, soft drinks and iced coffee.

• Ice cream and dessert cups.

Single PE is standard for many hot cups; cold and frozen uses often adopt double PE to handle condensation and storage. Material can be supplied as rolls, sheets or pre-cut cup fans, depending on the converter's process.

Bowls for Salads, Noodles and Soups

Food-service operators use PE-coated kraft board for:

• Salad bowls with dressings and toppings.

• Noodle and rice bowls with broths or sauces.

• Soup bowls for takeaway and delivery.

These applications usually require higher grammages for stiffness and a reliable inner barrier to hot liquid and oil. Matching lids, when designed with compatible material, complete a leak-resistant system.

Takeaway Boxes, Lids and Trays

Poly-coated kraft paper also serves in:

• Clamshell boxes and meal boxes.

• Tray lids and certain tray formats.

• Selected wraps and liners where extra grease resistance is needed.

Here the material must balance mechanical strength, barrier performance and printing quality. Standardizing on a limited set of poly-coated kraft grades helps operators simplify purchasing and maintain a consistent appearance across formats.

Choosing the Right Poly Coated Kraft Paper Grade

Start with Food Type and Conditions

A practical specification process starts from three questions:

• What is the food type – mainly dry, moist, or high in oil and sauce?

• At what temperatures will the packaging be filled, stored and consumed (hot, ambient, chilled, frozen)?

• Is the use case dine-in, short-distance takeaway, or long delivery and storage?

These answers determine whether single or double PE is required and what barrier level is sufficient.

Define Size and Stiffness

Container size and filling weight drive grammage selection:

• Small cups and side bowls – medium grammage kraft with appropriate PE coating.

• Large salad bowls and takeaway boxes – higher grammage board to resist bending and deformation in stacking and transport.

Pilot runs on actual forming equipment are recommended before finalizing specifications.

Align Appearance and Brand Requirements

Material choice should also support the intended brand message:

• Brown kraft for natural, minimal, "paper-first" positioning.

• White or coated surfaces for more detailed, full-color printing and premium lines.

Using a single, well-defined poly-coated kraft platform with different visual finishes helps keep both technical quality and brand image under control.

Confirm Food-Contact Safety and Documentation

For kraft paper used in food packaging, buyers should require:

• Compliance with applicable food-contact regulations in target markets.

• Migration and safety test reports for base paper and coating.

• Chain-of-custody or sustainability certificates when needed by corporate policy.

Working directly with a manufacturer that understands both technical and regulatory requirements reduces risk in long-term supply.

Working with Kindeal Paper as Your Manufacturer

Kindeal Paper is a manufacturer focused on food-grade coated papers, including PE-coated kraft paper and other poly-coated kraft solutions for cups, bowls, and takeaway packaging.

For customers in the food packaging industry, we offer:

• Coated kraft paper rolls and sheets in a wide grammage range suitable for small cups up to large salad and meal containers.

• Food-grade PE coatings and carefully selected kraft bases designed for direct contact with hot, cold and oily foods.

• Brown and white kraft options, with surfaces compatible with common printing processes used by converters.

• Customized roll widths, sheet sizes and technical parameters to match cup-forming, bowl-forming and box-making equipment.

If you are evaluating PE-coated kraft paper, comparing poly-coated kraft paper manufacturers, or selecting kraft paper for food packaging, our technical team can support you from specification through trial production.

Contact Kindeal Paper now for application discussion, material recommendations, samples and detailed quotations tailored to your upcoming projects.