The Future of Forest Products

Sappi’s continual push to find new ways to extract value from trees has resulted in the exploration of unique applications for our line of Valida products. Valida is a micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose manufactured in our pilot facility in the Netherlands. It’s a 100 percent natural, biodegradable, and sustainable material produced by mechanically processing wood fibers to their smallest components, resulting in a dramatically increased surface area and greater strength as well as enhanced optical, chemical, and physical properties.

Applications for Valida can range from use in Sappi’s own papermaking to foods and cosmetics, and even as an additive in concrete. One recent area of focus was Valida performance in industrial paints. Due to its high surface area and 3D networking, this natural material can serve as a stabilizing agent for paints.

Apart from being 100 percent natural, Valida is sustainable, renewable, and nontoxic, thus reducing VOC levels—important to the paint industry—while also providing improved functionality. Working with industry partners, we’ve demonstrated Valida’s superior performance for paint anti-sag and improved dispersion behavior—both properties important to industry paint customers.

Valida is a sustainable, renewable, and VOC-free multifunctional additive that not only helps reduce or replace synthetic additives in formulations, but also contributes to the value of end products. Sappi plans further market development in this area as part of our commercial Valida product launch.

Read more from Sappi North America's 2020 Sustainability Report here.