Let's Have A Clear Picture of What is Glassine Paper Used for

Ever wondered what glassine paper? You must have already been familiar with the glassine paper by its appearance, if not directly by the name. Most likely, are the odds that you must have already used transparent paper having the smooth texture and glossy finish? Then yep, that’s the glassine paper. 

Many people still confuse the glassine paper with wax paper or parchment paper, because of its partially visibility nature. However, it can never be mixed with the regular paper. And to know why it is so? Let’s just read the following blog. 

What is Glassine Paper?

Glassine paper is a translucent paper with a smooth texture and glossy appeal that offers top-tier protection to the products packed within. Glassine paper is not just your regular paper; essentially, it is a highly dust-proof, water-resistant, and grease-proof wrapping paper. Glassine paper keeps the packed items fully safe and in the best quality, enhancing the users’ experience.

What is Glassine Made from? 

Glassine, unlike its name, is not glass, although it has one or two glass-like features, such as the transparent glassine paper. Glassine paper offers a clear and sheer view of the contained product to the users, while ensuring that it is in the best quality possible. 

Glassine is made from wood pulp, and if dug deep, glassine is harvested from the hardwood trees. The wood chunks are chopped down into smaller pieces, and then the wood pieces undergo rigorous mechanical or chemical pulping. Then the pulped paper sheets are finely bleached to make them thoroughly clear and sheer. 

The glassine paper sheets are then thoroughly dried, and then they are passed through the pressurized rollers, which are also called supercalenders. And so, the process is named supercalendering. Supercalendering basically does the arrangement of the fibers right, which increases the paper density by minimizing the pores. The supercalendering process gives a well-refined finished look to the glassine paper by giving it a glossy appeal. 

How is Glassine Different from Standard Paper?

The supercalendering process imparts the unique properties to the glassine paper, which distinguishes it from the regular paper. Such key properties are explained below: 

• Moisture Proof and Grease Resistant Feature

Glassine paper offers much greater resistance to the moisture and grease than standard paper. A glassine paper is not entirely waterproof, but it can withstand water droplets and humidity. 

• Durability 

A glassine paper is almost two times sturdy as standard paper, which makes it suitable for heavy-duty packaging. This enhanced durability and strength make the glassine paper highly tear-proof and puncture-resistant. 

• Smooth Texture

Glassine papers have a smooth texture with the glossy appeal, as compared to that of ordinary papers. A glassine paper has a non-abrasive surface, while the regular paper has an abrasive surface with a rough texture. 

Glassine’s smooth and soft texture is perfect for protecting delicate surfaces. Artworks, especially those with soft pastels, charcoal sketches, or oil pastels, are susceptible to smudging and abrasion. Glassine's soft surface helps to prevent such damage by providing a gentle barrier that does not disturb the artwork’s surface.

• Neat Packaging

Glassine paper offers tidy packaging for the exclusive products. The glossy and smooth surface of a glassine paper prevents it from shedding tiny fibres. This is not the case with the standard paper. 

• Transparency

Glassine is highly transparent, which allows the users to clearly view the packed items with the crystal clear covering. The users don't have to open or unpack the wrapping or packaging to view the particulars. This sheer transparency keeps the premium products in pristine quality by preventing the potential risk of physical contact and damage. 

Where is Glassine Paper Used? 

All the useful characteristics described above make the glassine paper highly appropriate to have the prominent usage in the following:

• Envelope Windows: The transparent nature of glassine makes it a highly suitable choice to be used as envelope windows. It allows a clear sneak peek of the important particulars contained inside while keeping the overall professional look intact.
• Carton Windows: Glassine paper has a prominent usage in the packaging cartons of all sorts of retail products. It is used as the die-cut windows of the boxes that allow clear visibility of the contents to the users. 
• Artwork Packaging: Glassine paper is wrapped around the artwork to keep it protected from all sorts of unfavorable factors, like air and moisture. It is an ideal pick by the artists to protect their artwork in its finest condition by covering their valuable creations with glassine paper.
• Archiving: Glassine paper acts as an excellent shielding layer to protect all sorts of important data that is in the form of valuable documents, files, photographs, etc. It is an excellent choice to restore the historical records from deterioration. 
• Food Packaging: The grease-resistant and moisture-proof features of glassine paper make it an ideal choice to be widely use in food packaging. It keeps a variety of foods like confectionery, baked goods, and frozen foods fully protected. Glassine paper prevents the food spoilage by keeping the food protected from moisture or oxygen by its nonporous surface.
• Baking: Glassine paper is commonly used in baking due to its grease-resistant properties and non-stick surface. It is safely used to wrap the bakery items and as a lining for cake pans. 
• Pharmaceutics: Glassine paper is widely used to pack pharmaceutical products due to its grease-proof and oil-resistant qualities. 

Green Benefits of the Glassine Paper

One very commonly asked question that often arises in everyone’s mind is that is glassine paper eco friendly? The answer is definitely yes. A glassine paper is made from wood pulp, which in itself is self-explanatory, to imply that glassine is fully biodegradable and easily recyclable. 

A glassine paper is a reliable and promising alternative to the clear poly bags that aim to minimize the use of plastics. These green characteristics make the glassine paper play its part in achieving the eco-friendly environment, and make it a sustainable material choice for packaging and wrapping. 

Wrapping it Up 

While looking through the question, what is glassine paper? You must have got the clear picture by digging deep into its sheer visibility, smooth texture, and versatility in usage. Glassine paper has a prominent usage in various packaging purposes. From keeping the foods fresh and tasty to delicately covering the premium art pieces, glassine paper is an excellent choice to wrap the artwork. Not only does it keep the particulars protected, but it also offers a crystal clear glance of the items to the users. 

Glassine paper can indeed withstand much more than standard paper due to its moisture-proof, grease-proof, and oil-resistant properties, and is highly eco-friendly. Looking for a plastic-free alternative in the form of glassine to suit your clear packaging needs? Contact us now, and we will guide you through the proper glassine paper solutions, and we will give you a custom quote suiting your preferences.