Interpack 2026 live: Lecta unveils EU-compliant paper cup

At Interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany, Lecta has introduced its solid bleached board, paper-based EraCup Natural Pure. The solution is engineered from renewable resources, addressing the increasing demand for fiber-based alternatives to traditional plastic-coated materials.

On the show floor, Packaging Insights speaks with Lecta’s key account manager, Martin Aretz, and business development manager, Grégoire Six, about how the innovation supports the transition toward circular packaging.

“There is a trend driven by the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which mandates changes by 2030. Brand owners are under pressure to comply. There is the concern around greenwashing at the moment, where polymers are often included for sustainability,” Aretz tells us.

“Businesses are exploring two ways: adopting paper-based solutions or transitioning to monomaterial films. We are going in the direction of advancing paper-based solutions. We want to develop truly sustainable solutions that address the future needs of packaging.”

The EraCup Natural Pure offers the functional performance required for on-the-go applications.Strengthening circularity

The EraCup Natural Pure is said to be fully repulpable and recyclable within standard paper recycling streams. It features a bio-based barrier coating, based on naturally occurring plant sugars, providing a plastic-free barrier.

Six explains: “Most boards on the market today use chemically modified polymers. The coating we use to provide the barrier is made exclusively from polymers that you can find in nature.”

Combined with a sealing varnish applied on engineered sealing areas, the solution is compliant with the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD).

“The solution utilizes a compostable monomaterial. We are providing not just the raw material but a full solution to our customers. We have developed several solutions with different partners. We are able to provide recommendations to them for specific applications,” Six adds.

The EraCup Natural Pure features an uncoated, smooth surface, developed for flexographic and offset printing. Its structure has been designed to deliver “optimal stiffness, bending behavior, and performance during converting and cup forming processes at an industrial scale,” according to Lecta.

With live reporting from Milana Nikolova at the Interpack 2026.