Stahl reimagines tactile coatings for premium packaging experiences
Key takeaways
- Stahl has expanded its Sensora specialty coatings portfolio with haptic finishes designed to create textile-like experiences.
- The coatings deliver soft, velvety, silky, smooth, and rubbery textures using water-based and energy-curable technologies.
- Stahl will showcase Sensora at LOUPE 2026 alongside other packaging innovations focused on sustainable labels, coatings, and enhanced consumer engagement.
(Image credit: Stahl).Stahl, a Henkel company, has updated its Sensora portfolio of specialty coatings for flexibles, paper and board, along with narrow web materials, designed to offer a “premium” tactile packaging experience.
Sensora is suitable for food and non-food applications, including folding cartons, labels, flexible food packaging, cosmetics, technology products, and luxury goods, according to the global provider of specialty coatings.
“With Sensora, Stahl helps brands harness the power of touch in packaging,” says Paul Grzebielucha, group director for Packaging Coatings at Stahl. “By combining tactile differentiation with proven coating performance, Sensora enables customers to create premium experiences that enhance consumer engagement and strengthen brand identity.”
Sensora’s range of tactile sensations includes soft, velvety, smooth, silky, and rubbery textures. Stahl outlines that it uses water-based and energy-curable technologies to deliver matte, soft-feel, and other haptic finishes. These technologies are in line with “stringent” safety and sustainability standards, according to the company.
Some Sensora coatings are suitable for food-contact applications and comply with requirements or recommendations from bodies and standards, including the US Food and Drug Administration, Swiss Ordinance, Germany’s Ink Ordinance, Isega, and the European Printing Ink Association.
Earlier this year, Henkel purchased Stahl for €2.1 billion (US$2.5 billion) to expand its Adhesive Technologies unit.
Elevating coatings and labels
Stahl will present the updated Sensora portfolio at Labels & OUter Packaging Embellishment (LOUPE) 2026 in Chicago, US, (September 15–17). At the show, visitors can interact with its haptic coating technologies.
Also at LOUPE 2026, Innovia will showcase its expanded label portfolio, including RayoFloat technology and RayoFloat White, and Siegwerk will demonstrate FastMatch Cloud, a cloud‑based color management solution developed in collaboration with X-Rite Pantone.
In other recent packaging coating development news, Kelpi gained FDA approval for its seaweed-based food packaging coating, and Footprint and Qwarzo scaled their PE-free, mineral-coated cup solution. Meanwhile, NanoXplore and Techmer PM are set to commercialize a graphene-enhanced coating for plastic films.
