Kraft Paper Is Named From the German for Strength
Kraft is a strong brown paper. Its name is German for strength, describing the pulping process that leaves the fibres intact.
Kraft is strong brown paper used for bags, envelopes and packaging. The name is German for strength, and it describes the chemical process rather than the colour: the kraft process dissolves lignin while leaving cellulose fibres long and intact, which is what makes the paper tough. Brown is simply what unbleached kraft looks like. Nearly all cardboard boxes and paper sacks are kraft paper.
- Strong brown paper. *A kraft envelope.*
- The kraft process — the pulping method. *The kraft process.*
- Lignin — what the process removes. *Lignin removal.*
- German — *Kraft*, strength. *The source.*
- Cardboard — usually made from kraft. *A cardboard box.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | kraft | Brown kraft. |
| Adjective | kraft | Kraft paper. |
| Compound | kraft process | The kraft process. |
| German | Kraft | Strength. |
| Related | lignin | Lignin. |
- Wrap it in kraft paper.Packaging.
- The kraft process was patented in 1884.History.
- Kraft means strength in German.Etymology.
Why kraft paper is strong
- Lignin is dissolved, leaving long cellulose fibres intact
- Longer fibres interlock better and resist tearing
- Almost any wood can be used, including resinous pine
- Chemicals are recovered and reused, making it efficient
- Bleaching produces white kraft, at some cost to strength
German *Kraft*, strength, borrowed into English in the early 1900s to describe the sulphate pulping process and its paper.
Why is kraft paper brown?
Because it is unbleached. The brown colour comes from residual lignin and the pulping chemicals, not from any dye.
Is kraft paper recyclable?
Yes, and it is among the most widely recycled paper grades because its long fibres survive reprocessing well.