A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE: WILL DIGITAL PRINTING BECOME A CATALYST?

Digital printing transfers print data directly onto the substrate. This allows jobs featuring different versions, designs or product information to be organised more flexibly. This is particularly relevant for packaging projects involving:

• small or medium print runs,
• many product variants,
• seasonal or regional designs,
• frequent artwork changes,
• test markets and new product launches,
• personalised content or variable data.

For such applications, digital printing can shorten the path from the final print file to the finished packaging. A new variant does not necessarily have to be pre-produced in large quantities. Brands can print more closely in line with actual demand and develop their portfolio step by step.

This represents a forward-looking shift in perspective: packaging becomes more adaptable and can be aligned more closely with market feedback, demand or product changes. It is then no longer merely a finished container, but becomes a flexible component of product development, market testing and brand management.

This is particularly relevant when packaging is used as a tool for seasonal campaigns, regional product ranges, limited editions or new product ideas. Digital printing can help to trial such projects with manageable stock risks and subsequently develop successful variants in a targeted manner.
 

The greatest potential benefit lies not solely in the printing process, but in the inventory management logic behind it. If smaller quantities can be produced at short notice, brands do not need to plan every variant well in advance. This paves the way for a supply chain that can respond more quickly to actual demand and is less reliant on long-term assumptions. Three types of risk can be reduced in particular.

1. Less excess stock
Large print runs are often ordered to optimise set-up costs and unit prices. However, if demand falls short of forecasts, this results in stock that ties up capital and requires storage space. Production that is more closely aligned with demand can reduce this risk.

2. Less obsolete packaging
Packaging loses its value when a product name, formula, legal notice or design element changes. With smaller print runs, the potential for write-offs is lower. This also applies to seasonal packaging or time-limited campaigns.

3. Less waste during variant changes
Conventional printing processes may require additional set-up and start-up runs when jobs change frequently. Digital printing can reduce these costs. At the same time, it is important to note that less printing waste does not automatically mean lower overall resource consumption. Ink, energy, substrate, cleaning, waste in post-press processing and transport must all be considered together.

A robust assessment should therefore not only measure waste at the printing press. Other relevant factors include stock write-offs, storage duration, express deliveries, reprints and the quantity of packaging that can no longer be used due to a change.
 

Paper-based packaging is often associated with recyclability, a natural feel and a reduced plastic content. These properties can be significant advantages. However, paper on its own does not provide the necessary protection against moisture, oxygen, grease, odours or mineral oil components for every application. 

For paper to be used in more demanding packaging applications, it must be functionally enhanced. Barrier coatings, sealability, print quality, strength and machine runnability must all be optimally balanced. The coating itself also influences how packaging behaves within the intended recycling infrastructure.

For brand owners, this means that the choice of material must not be made only after the printing process has been selected. A paper-based substrate must meet at least five requirements simultaneously:

1. Product protection: The packaged goods must be adequately protected during storage, transport and use.
2. Printability: The material must enable the desired print quality and colour rendering.
3. Further processing: Cutting, folding, sealing or assembly must function reliably.
4. Recyclability: The specific material structure must be suitable for the intended recycling route.
5. Scalability: A solution developed in a prototype or pilot project must also be reproducible under industrial conditions.

At Felix Schoeller, therefore, the focus is not on a single material in isolation. The approach combines substrate knowledge, coating technology, printing requirements and an understanding of the process. Depending on the application, different technologies and product families may be appropriate. These include, amongst others, extrusion-coated and dispersion-coated papers, as well as multi-layer barrier systems.
 

Digital printing can shorten the time from concept to market launch, as samples of different variants can be produced more quickly and smaller initial print runs can be produced sooner. This is particularly valuable when a brand owner wishes to test a new product or roll out packaging in stages.

However, fast printing alone is not enough. The actual time taken to produce market-ready packaging also depends on other factors:

• Is the right paper available?
• Are the printing inks, coating and substrate compatible with one another?
• Can the material be processed on the existing machinery?
• Have product protection, sealing and shelf life been validated?
• Have food contact, compliance and labelling been verified?
• Can samples and pilot batches be produced without additional process iterations?
• Is the solution scalable for larger volumes and consistent quality?

A fast printing turnaround cannot compensate for lengthy approval or qualification processes. The time to market is therefore significantly reduced, particularly when development, material selection, printing, finishing and quality assurance work together at an early stage.
 

Digital printing is not a universal substitute for conventional printing methods. For large, consistent print runs with few variations, conventional methods can still offer economic advantages. They are designed for high volumes and have established processes in many production environments.

Digital printing is often particularly attractive when flexibility, speed and a wide range of variants are more important than the lowest unit price for a very large print run.

When it comes to spot colours and finishes, digital printing is catching up significantly. Extended colour gamuts, individual spot colours and digital effects are already possible today, often via add-on modules or a separate production step. Whether a brand colour or an effect can be achieved precisely on the chosen paper should be tested in advance with the printer and material supplier.

In many cases, therefore, an ‘either/or’ approach does not make sense. A hybrid model can combine the strengths of both processes: stable base runs are produced conventionally, whilst variants, reprints or market tests are carried out digitally.

“Paper-based packaging continues to evolve. When material, product protection and production work well together, new possibilities arise. Digital printing has technical limitations, but it helps to rapidly advance qualification processes and market analyses, and to produce many variants in smaller quantities.”

Andreas Pohl, Product Development Manager, TÖPFER KULMBACH GmbH 

A robust solution does not begin with the selection of a printer, but with a structured assessment of the current situation. At Felix Schoeller, we call this approach “We diagnose before we design”. The aim is not to use technology for its own sake. It is about working together to identify the applications in which greater flexibility, smaller batch sizes and paper-based functionality can create real added value.

PPWR makes labels and material combinations more relevant

The PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) does not focus solely on the base materials of packaging. Additional components such as labels, stickers, adhesives, printing inks and coatings can also be relevant when assessing design for recycling. The specific packaging and actual sorting and recovery practices are decisive in this regard. Packaging that is fundamentally recyclable may be more difficult to assess or recycle due to unfavourable material combinations or additional components.

This can pose a particular challenge where a standard packaging body is currently supplemented with product-specific paper or film labels. Examples include stand-up pouches, sachets or packaging for sliced products, such as cheese, sausage or vegan products. Ingredient lists, product names, barcodes and information in different national languages are often displayed on separate labels. Depending on the combination of materials, adhesive, size and position, such additional components can complicate the assessment of recyclability.

This could give rise to a new direction in development: rather than customising a standardised packaging design with numerous labels applied afterwards, product-specific information could, in future, be integrated more directly into the printed design. Digital printing essentially opens up the possibility of applying many variants, languages, product names or barcodes to the actual packaging substrate in smaller print runs. This can help to avoid additional layers of material and bring the variant structure closer to actual requirements.

Whether this approach is the better solution in individual cases depends on the complete material structure, the printing and food-contact requirements, further processing, and the intended recycling route. The decision should therefore be made early in the development process and validated in collaboration with material and printing partners.

1. Understanding
requirements and variant structure How many variants are there? How often do designs or regulatory details change? What quantities are actually required? Which packaging is written off or disposed of before it is used? From these answers, it is possible to determine where more flexible production can make the biggest difference in future.

2. Defining
product requirements What level of barrier against oxygen, moisture, grease or odours is required? What type of seal, strength and tactile feel are needed? What requirements arise from the product, filling process and shelf life?

3. Test
printing and materials together Print quality does not depend solely on the machine. The surface, coating, ink adhesion, drying and post-processing all influence the result. Therefore, material tests and print tests should not be planned separately.

4. Carry
out prototyping and machine trials Prototypes demonstrate whether a concept works in principle. Machine trials show whether it can also hold up under real-world conditions. This includes print quality, running behaviour, sealing, product protection and quality throughout the entire process chain.

5. Assess
recyclability and scalability A packaging solution should not only work in the laboratory or as a small print run. The crucial factor is whether it can be reproducibly manufactured, delivered, processed and assessed within a suitable recycling pathway.

“Digital printing is more than just a fast printing technique. It is important that the material, barrier layer and post-processing are all compatible. Then new packaging solutions can be tested more quickly and implemented reliably.”

Daniel Zimmermann, Head of Sales & New Business Development, Felix Schoeller
 

At the same time, the packaging industry is moving towards greater product variety, shorter development cycles and higher standards of material efficiency and recyclability. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which will generally apply from 12 August 2026, reinforces the need for transparent material and packaging decisions. These requirements are being implemented in stages and relate, amongst other things, to packaging design, documentation and recyclability.

For brand owners, this increases the importance of solutions that not only look good but are also technically and regulatory sound. Paper-based barrier solutions can make a contribution in suitable applications. However, they are not an end in themselves and do not replace an assessment of the specific packaging structure.

Felix Schoeller supports this process with a technology-neutral and customer-specific approach. The focus is on precisely coated papers that are specifically tailored to the product, printing and processing requirements. This is complemented by prototyping, machine trials and the joint assessment of product protection, process capability and recyclability. 

Digital printing is not yet a universal standard for paper-based packaging. However, the technology opens up interesting possibilities for the future: smaller print runs, quicker changes between variants, production better tailored to demand, and new ways of bringing packaging closer to the market and product development.

Combined with functional paper solutions, this could lead to an important development path towards a more flexible packaging industry. Less pre-production can reduce excess stock, obsolete packaging and unnecessary waste. At the same time, paper-based barrier systems offer new options when product protection, print quality, processing and recyclability are considered together.

It is therefore worthwhile for brand owners to adopt an open, application-oriented perspective. Not every piece of packaging will be digitally printed in future. But where a wide variety of variants, short development cycles and more sustainable material concepts come together, digital printing can evolve from a production process into a strategic lever.

The next step is not a radical technological shift, but a well-validated use case. Those who start with suitable pilot projects today can gain experience, further develop processes and, step by step, align packaging production more closely with actual requirements. Are you evaluating a new paper-based packaging solution, looking to produce variants more flexibly, or seeking to reduce inventory risks associated with existing packaging? 

Together with Felix Schoeller, you can systematically assess your requirements, narrow down suitable barrier systems and validate the solution through samples and machine trials.
 

1. European Commission: Packaging waste, accessed in September 2026.
2. Fraunhofer IVV: Sustainable packaging, accessed in September 2026.
3. Packaging Europe: Sustainable Inkjet Digital Printing Solutions for Paper-Based Packaging as a Circular Economy Enabler, accessed in September 2026.
4. Converting Quarterly: Digital printing’s expanding role in the evolving flexible packaging market, accessed in September 2026.