Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/491374
38 STiR tea & coffee industry international polypropylene that will not readily break down in backyard com- posting. A fine plastic mesh is sometimes woven into the bag- ging material to improve permeability and help bags retain their shape. Pyramid bags are made of nylon or plastic bio-resins. Many require industrial composting. Abacá Abacá (Manila hemp) is the nat- ural, sustainable filter material of choice. The strong silky threads are obtained from the leaf stems of this relative of the banana plant to produce abacá pulp for use in specialized long fiber products for the food and bever- age industry. Abacá is commer- cially grown in the Philippines, Ecuador and Costa Rica. Abacá is a sustainable crop with a neu- tral impact on the environment and also provides meaningful in- comes to many families in these developing countries. The world's largest user of abacá pulp in food and beverage applications is Glatfelter CFBU. Kai Wulff, general sales manager F&B sector explained that "Glatfelter uses abacá in combination with a range of other natural fibers and specially selected man- made fibers." The company offers a comprehensive range of stan- dard papers that successfully operate on all specialist conversion machines used in the tea and beverage sector. He added that these special blends provide clients with the desired properties of high wet strength, excellent crimping and heatsealability combined with superior particle retention and infusion properties. Glatfelter was the first to offer a fully sustainable range of pa- pers under the DYNAGREEN® brand which offer heat sealable characteristics using PLA (Polylactic acid) which is a renewable natural polymer that has a fully sustainable profile and performs successfully across a range of converting equipment, said Wulff. Retail branding and promotion go hand in hand. In response to customer demand for product and brand differentiation, Glat- felter developed a range of techniques that allow personalization. These range from simple designs using PERFOTEC® to highly sophisticated and complex designs using NELTEC® and WoW PRINTEC® (white on white) technologies, he said. Glatfelter is the supplier of choice for filter paper in the bever- age industry, said Wulff. "Abacá supports our core values of en- vironmental and social responsibility in filter papers," he said. To support farmers Glatfelter pays family members to produce authentic hand woven crafts made from abacá. A bacá is porous, strong and renewable resource but it has a fragile supply chain. In 2009 Glatfelter, the world's largest buyer of abacá pulp, successfully campaigned for UN FAO (Food Agriculture Organization) standards and a sustainability cer- tification for hard fibers. Two years later it financed a study of supply chain stakeholders and in 2012 served as admin- istrator of the Catanduanes Abacá Sustainability Initiative (CASI). Smallholders on the Philippines Island of Catanduanes sub- sequently became the first abaca famers certified by the Rainfor- est Alliance and the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). "At Glatfelter we pride ourselves in creating products that are sustainable," said Martin Rapp, svp and gm of the compos- ite fibers business unit (CFBU). "Consumers take sustainability very seriously and many of our direct customers, the tea packers or coffee processors, are actively working with institutions such as the Rainforest Alliance to certify sustainability of agricultural practices for their tea or coffee," explains Rapp. Glatfelter's Rainforest Alliance and FSC certified tea bag and coffee pad paper insures that consumers enjoy a fully certified product, ac- cording to Kai Wulff, Glatfelter's general sales manager of food and beverage. "This new composition is very innovative as we are the only company fully certifying tea bag paper," he said. The importance of a decent business partnership is immea- surable and extends beyond supply chain logistics, according to Wulff. Under the leadership of Dr. Bernd Seger, head of the fiber competence center, CASI has bettered members' lives. One example is the CASI women handicraft group, known as L.E.A.H. (Livelihood Enhancement through Abaca Handi- crafts) a program that works hand in hand with our other social endeavors, explains Seger. Abacá farmers' wives make very intricate bags out of the raw material that Glatfelter then purchases at a fair price to pres- ent to customers. "This has become a significant second means of income for many families in the area," said Seger. Social projects are a cooperative endeavor that affects both parties in a positive way, said Rapp. CFBU is working steadily on expanding its production quantities. "We look forward to continuously moving along the path of sustainability, in hopes of making our planet greener beyond paper," he said. First Abacá Certification Sustainability Certified Tea & Coffee Paper