Clay Coated Kraft Back (CCK) – Strong, Sustainable, & Cost-Effective Packaging

The global trend of sustainable packaging has experienced significant growth in recent years. According to different online studies, it’s indicated that 72% of consumers globally are willing to pay more for products packaged in eco-friendly boxes, envelopes, bags, or other solutions. That’s why, an endless variety of biodegradable, recyclable, and compostable packaging materials have been launched in the market. Among all the famous and functional, eco-friendly options, Kraft stands top of the list.

It's a 100% durable, sustainable, and aesthetically amazing packaging solution, often available in rustic and natural colors. With the advancement in packaging styles, designs, and needs, Kraft has also evolved. Currently, it’s available in several types to perfectly meet consumers’ shift, brand’s demand, and product needs. Out of all the most demanded Kraft types, the advanced-quality clay-coated Kraft back is one of the top picks of various businesses. Let’s explore what’s this material and why it’s becoming a trending packaging option over time.

Detailed Insights into Custom Clay Coated Kraft Back (CCK)

Being one of the most famous types of paperboards, custom clay-coated Kraft back (CCK) stands out for its multi-ply composition. It has a special clay-coated surface on the front and a natural Kraft paper backing on the rear side. This dual composition gives this material a matchless strength and high-grade printability allowance. Hence, it’s the best packaging material for products that need memorable visual appeal, exceptional structural integrity, and matchless sustainability.

Key Features of Clay Coated Paper – Let’s Explore the Distinct Qualities of Coated Kraft Type

The following are the unique characteristics of custom clay-coated Kraft paper for which it stands out as one of the best packaging materials in the industry:

• Ideal for high-resolution printing because of its smooth, bring white layer of clay-coted surface.
• Fully compatible with offset, digital, and flexographic printing methods.
• Perfect for creating vibrant designs and glossy finishes.
• High-tensile strength and top-grade tear-resistance qualities.
• Available in single-side (C1S) or double-side coated (CS2) structures.
• Allow for different coating levels to suit various printing options.
• Excellent stiffness that keeps the packaging safe under high pressure.
• Highly cost-effective than fully bleached boards, such as SBS boards (Solid Bleached Sulphate).
• 100% recyclable, sustainable, and biodegradable packaging option.
• Available in a wide range of basis weights, from lightweight liners to heavy-duty packaging paper.
• Often laminated with barrier coatings to provide a high-grade resistance from moisture, grease, and oil.

CCKB Paperboard – Thickness vs. Grammage Conversion Table

How a Clay-Coated Kraft Paperboard is Formed? The Nitty-Gritty of the Manufacturing Process

Here’s a detailed overview of the nitty-gritty of creating top-quality clay-coated Kraft paperboard:

1- Begin with Raw Material Preparation:

Always start by preparing the base materials. You need to prepare Kraft pulp and clay slurry (coating material). Here’s how you’ll carry out the process:

Making of Kraft Pulp (Unbleached or Semi-Bleached Forms)

• Cook wood chips with sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide in a professional Kraft process.
• Remove lignin and separate cellulose fibers to produce a strong, rustic-shade pulp.
• Use this Kraft pulp to form the back and middle layers of the paperboard to give structural integrity and stiffness to the packaging solution.

Production of Clay Slurry (Coating Material)

• Mix kaolin clay, water, dispersants, and binders, such as latex or starch.
• Separately prepare this slurry and layer apply it in the coating process.

2- Form Paperboard (The Base);

This step is carried out in a Fourdrinier or a multi-ply paper machine. It’s a detailed process, comprising the following steps:

Sheet Production

• A slurry is formed as a result of Kraft pulp dilution with water.
• This slurry is then spread onto a moving mesh screen in the machine where water is drained and fibers are interlocked.

Sheet Pressing

The partially formed sheets are then pressed through a series of press rollers to remove extra water content and strengthen the fiber bonding.

Sheet Drying

The prepared sheets are then passed through a drying section in the machine where heated cylinders are incorporated. These cylinders help reduce the moisture content by around 6-8%.

Layering of Multi-Ply Boards

• In the multi-ply machine, different layers, such as liner, filler, and black play are formed separately. They are automatically laminated and pressed together.
• The top ply is intended for coating. That’s why, it’s made smoother in texture as compared to the bottom ply.

3- Apply Coating:

When the paperboard is completely dried and flattened, move to the next step which is the application of coating:

Use Blade or Rod Coater

Apply clay slurry to the top surface of the paperboard with blade coating (for smoother finishes) or (for more consistent layer thickness). In C1S, only the top surface is coated. Whereas, in CS2 paperboards, both sides are professionally coated.

Completely Dry the Coating

Once the coating is applied properly, pass the paperboard through infrared or hot air dryers to completely dry the clay coating rapidly without damaging the board's quality and composition.

4- Calendar or Smoothify the Surface:

After professional coating and drying, the paperboard is passed through calendar rolls, comprising heated and polished rollers. This step provides an advanced-level gloss, smoothness, and uniformity to the coated surface of the paperboard material.

5- Finishing Step:

At last, the paperboard is wound into large rolls or cut into sheets. It’s further laminated, embossed, debossed, and die-cut to give a premium visual appeal. The finished board is then shipped carefully to the custom box manufacturers and suppliers to make bespoke packaging solutions. Besides the above-discussed, you can also apply barrier coatings, such as Polyethylene (PE), wax, or water-based layers to provide additional resistance against grease, moisture, and chemicals.

Ten Most Famous CCKB Paperboard Types

The following are the ten most famous and demanded types of CCKB paperboard. Let’s check them out for a better understanding:

1- C1S CCKB (Clay Coated One Side – Kraft Back:

It’s a single clay-coated material with a white top surface for printing and an uncoated brown Kraft on the back. Having excellent printability on one side, C1S CCKB stands out for its high-end stiffness and durability because of the Kraft back. This premium material is widely used in making:

• Folding cartons
• Dry food packaging
• Cereal boxes
• Custom retail packaging solutions

C1S CCKB is also one of the most cost-effective, widely available, and recyclable packaging solutions.

2- CS2 CCKB (Clay Coated Two Sides- Kraft Back):

This best-quality material has a clay coating on both sides with a layer of Kraft base in the center. CS2 CCKB allows you high-grade printing on the inside and outside of the packaging box. That’s the reason, CS2 CCKB is one of the most preferred materials for making premium product boxes, cosmetics packaging, consumer electronics goods boxes, and many more such packaging solutions. Hence, dual surface branding and a box’s refined interior appearance are the major perks that brands can avail of by using CS2 CCKB material for their product’s packaging.

3- High Bulk CCKB:

Similar to C1S CCKB, the high bulk CCKB also has a clay-coated front and a kraft back. The only difference lies in its unique engineering that offers a high caliper at a lower weight basis. High-bulk CCKB material is stiff, durable, and sustainable. It has an increased thickness without adding extra weight to the product’s packaging. Besides reducing material and shipping costs, this best-quality coated Kraft back also stands out for offering a matchless rigid feel to the product’s premium packaging. High bulk CCKB is usually sued in making:

• Custom food sleeves
• Frozen meal sleeves
• Seasonal or limited-edition promotional packaging boxes.

4- Wet Strength CCKB:

It has a C1S structure with added moisture resistance on both sides. Wet strength CCKB is ideally considered for retaining a box’s shape and strength when exposed to humidity, cold storage, or condensation conditions. This top-notch packaging material is durable and sustainable, even in wet surroundings. That’s why, it’s perfect for cold chain supply packaging. Typically, the wet strength CCKB is used for making:

• Custom beverage boxes
• Frozen food trays
• Refrigerated packaging solutions

5- FDA-Compliant CCKB:

Available in C1S or C2S forms, the FDA-compliant CCKB has coated front and virgin Kraft back with FDA-compliant additives or barriers. It’s a certified safe material for direct food contact packaging. FDA-compliant CCKB meets all the regulatory packaging standards and ensures high-end food safety. This advanced type of durable and sustainable packaging material is highly recommended for making:

• Ready-meal packaging
• Refrigerated food trays
• Custom bakery boxes
• Deli food wraps
• Frozen food entrees

6- Recycled Fiber CCKB:

Besides having a similar clay-coated front and a Kraft back, the recycled fiber CCKB stands out for its full or recycled fiber content. Though it’s more sustainable, it has a slightly lower strength and brightness as compared to virgin paperboard materials. Recycled fiber CCKB is often FSC or PEFC-certified. It’s usually used by the environmentally conscious brands belonging to:

• Retail industry
• Cosmetics businesses
• Personal care market
• Food industry

7- Virgin Fiber CCKB:

It has a clay-coated front with a 100% virgin Kraft back. Featuring a high-grade fiber quality and premium finish, virgin fiber CCKB is known for its exceptional structural strength and integrity. It is the strongest and most durable material among all the CCKB options. Brands ideally consider this material to enhance the strength and presentation of their product’s packaging. It’s highly preferred for making:

• Custom electronics packaging
• Tool packaging
• Premium-quality retail boxes
• Flexible, folding cartons for heavy products.

8- Lightweight CCKB:

It’s a C1S or C2S paperboard made with thinner caliper and lower grammage. Being lighter in weight, this high-end material is easier to fold and ideal for making lower-cost packaging boxes. Lightweight CCKB is a great solution for cost savings on manufacturing and shipping boxes. Here are some of the major applications where you can use lightweight CCKB to stand out on store shelves:

• Making of small boxes.
• Manufacturing custom promotional packaging solutions.
• Creating single-item packaging.

9- Bleached Top CCKB:

The clay-coated front of this material is made with bleached pulp for higher brightness. The Kraft back is the same as present in other common CCKB types. The extra bright surface of bleached top CCKB offers excellent printing opportunities for brands. This gives a clean and attractive look to the packaging. Bleached top CCKB is the ideal packaging material that not only supports vibrant and detailed printing but also plays a vital role in enhancing the overall shelf appeal of your product’s packaging. This refined material is preferred for making:

• Premium branding boxes.
• Custom cosmetics boxes.
• Health & beauty products packaging.

10- Uncoated Back CCKB:

It’s a C1S CCKB type with a clay-coated front and a natural (uncoated) Kraft back. The rear of this material has a raw, fibrous texture because of no clay or gloss coating. It’s more affordable than the coated-back versions of CCKB packaging material. Despite having an uncoated back, this material is sturdy and printable. It’s widely used in making the following:

• Cost-effective folding cartons.
• Reasonable custom industrial packaging solutions.
• Lightweight disposable boxes.

A Brief Comparison of CCKB with Natural Kraft, Recycled Cardboard, & Corrugated Board

Remarkable Applications of Clay-Coated Kraft Back- Why Choose this Material?

The following are some of the amazing applications of custom clay-coated Kraft back in different industries that make it the number-one packaging material for countless businesses:

Serve as Folding Cartons for Retail Packaging:

Whether it’s food, cosmetics, electronics, personal care, pharma, or any other retail market, custom clay-coated Kraft back is used in making the best-quality folding cartons. It has high stiffness that supports structural packaging. Usually, it is used in making tea & coffee boxes, premium skincare product packaging, and small appliance or gadget boxes.

Provide Direct & Indirect Packaging Options in the Food Industry:

Available in FDA-compliant grades, bespoke clay-coated Kraft back is highly used in the food industry for making bespoke packaging solutions for frozen, bakery, snacks, and dry food items. The wet strength and the grease-resistant variants of CCKB are highly preferred in making top-grade food boxes. Frozen meal trays, custom cereal boxes, pizza slice sleeves, bespoke donuts, pastries, and other such boxes are famous examples of CCKMB food packaging solutions.

Offer Premium Packaging in the Fashion & Luxury Goods Market:

Featuring Kraft-backed rigidity, foil stamping, and lamination-compostable surface, custom clay-coated Kraft back material is preferably used in making versatile and deluxe-quality gift packaging boxes. Custom perfume, gift, jewelry, and high-end accessory packaging boxes are usually made up of high-grade clay-coated Kraft back material.

Ensure Protective & Elegant Packaging in the Beverage Industry:

Besides forming durable, sustainable, and attractive external packaging for products, the clay-coated Kraft back is also a go-to pick for creating bespoke inserts and sleeves for various beverage packaging solutions. Its lightweight but stiff composition provides excellent internal product support for various beverage products. Custom coffee sleeves, cup sleeves, and fold-over collars around bespoke packaging are typically made up of clay-coated Kraft back. Personalized 6-pack or custom 4-pack bottle carriers are also preferably composed of this high-end material.

Offer Top-Grade Packaging in the Stationery Market:

Clay-coated Kraft back is highly recommended in making a wide variety of custom-printed stationery boxes. It is one of the most famous materials in the education and corporate branding industries. CCKB offers the best-quality print surface for logos, designs, and customization features. It is typically found in making custom presentation folders, notebook covers, calendar stands, and many more such products.

Looking for the Best-Quality CCKB Board? Contact CPP Boxes!

Do you want to stand out in the market with the premium-quality eco-friendly, and durable packaging of your products? Get in touch with CPP Boxes today and get a 100-unit MOQ of custom-printed boxes, featuring a clay-coated Kraft back composition. Order today and get the free shipping of your bespoke boxes at wholesale rates within just 7-9 business days