Yes, in its plain form. Kraft refers to the pulping process that produces the strong brown fibre, not to a coating or a treatment, so plain kraft paper and kraft board are ordinary paper products and are widely accepted wherever paper is collected. The interesting question is what you did to it after that.
What kraft actually is
The kraft process converts wood into pulp using a chemical treatment that leaves the fibres long and strong, which is why kraft board takes a fold and carries a load well. Unbleached kraft keeps its natural brown colour. Bleached kraft is the same fibre whitened. Neither is inherently less recyclable than the other, though the bleached version has a different environmental profile upstream.
What moves a kraft pack out of the paper stream
| Addition | Effect on acceptance |
|---|---|
| Plastic lamination (gloss, matte, soft touch) | Mixed material, acceptance varies by facility and is often refused |
| Foil stamping | Small areas are usually tolerated, full foil layers are not |
| Film window patch | Should be removed by the consumer, and often is not |
| Plastic zipper or valve on a bag | Turns a paper pack into a mixed one |
| Heavy grease or food residue | Contaminated fibre is commonly rejected regardless of material |
| Aqueous coating | Generally more compatible than a film laminate, but confirm locally |
Why we will not tell you it is recyclable everywhere
Because acceptance is set by local collection programmes and by the material recovery facility that receives the bale, not by the packaging supplier. Two towns can treat the identical laminated carton differently. Any supplier who tells you a finished, laminated, window-patched pack is universally recyclable is telling you something they cannot know. Check your own market's rules before you print a claim, and be specific in the claim about which component you mean.
How to specify for the paper stream
- Choose uncoated kraft, or an aqueous coating instead of a film lamination, where the finish allows.
- Skip the window, or design a die cut opening without a film patch if the product tolerates it.
- Use paper-based tape and paper void fill rather than plastic.
- Keep decorative foil to small accent areas rather than full panels.
- If a barrier is genuinely required for the product, accept the trade off and say so honestly on pack rather than overclaiming.
The single-material approach is the one that survives scrutiny. Every additional material you add is a component someone has to separate.
Ordering
Minimum order is 100 boxes, and pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. The die and plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included. Turnaround is quoted per product in three lanes: rush with expedited production and air freight, standard by air, and cost saver by sea, from about 7 business days, plus 2 to 5 for delivery. Specialty imported items can run up to about 12 weeks. Production is in West Chicago and in Guangzhou.
If board weight is the next question, what is GSM in packaging explains what GSM does and does not tell you. To order kraft stock, see kraft boxes. Tell us which market the pack sells into when you request a quote, since that affects what finish is sensible.
