Sappi North America, a leading producer and supplier of diversified paper, packaging products and pulp based in the US, has been named a 2021 SEAL sustainable product award winner for its Ultracast Viva casting and release paper. Ultracast Viva was also selected by the International Design Awards Jury for an honourable mention for textile design.

Ultracast Viva is the new standard for high-fidelity casting and release papers, offering compatibility with solvent-free casting systems, serving as the mould for coated fabrics by transferring texture and gloss to create authentically pleasing synthetic leathers and other coated materials. The textured surfaces are then used for end products people use every day, such as shoes, car seats, handbags, apparel and more. After use, the release paper is stripped away and can be reused multiple times, the company said in a press release.

The SEAL awards celebrate the companies and leaders across the globe that make measurable contributions to sustainability and develop innovative initiatives that will positively impact the environment for centuries to come. The International Design Awards recognise, celebrate, and promote exceptional design visionaries and discover emerging talent in architecture, interior, product, graphic and fashion design worldwide.

Ultracast Viva is a first-of-its-kind product that sets the standard for sustainable casting and is designed for companies dedicated to using sustainable alternatives when creating high-quality coated fabrics and textured materials. Ultracast Viva was developed proactively to align with the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) programme, and it answers a long-standing call for  a release paper that enables production via solvent-free manufacturing systems, according to Sappi.

"Sustainability and innovation are what drives Sappi North America, and it is the inspiration for each of our products. We launched Ultracast Viva with a commitment to environmentally-friendly manufacturing to help our customers reduce their own environmental footprint. We're thrilled that it is getting the recognition it deserves as the first high-fidelity textured release paper line compatible with solvent-free systems, and we look forward to the progress this innovative and technologically advanced release paper will spur,” Mark Hittie, director, release business strategy, Sappi North America said.