UPM has introduced UPM Circular Renewable Black, a bio-based black pigment designed to be detectable by near-infrared (NIR) sorting technology.
The Finnish materials solutions group describes it as having a carbon-negative footprint.
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The material is targeted at high-end packaging applications and is intended to overcome long-standing recycling challenges linked to conventional carbon black.
The pigment is derived from renewable lignin and enables black packaging to be identified by NIR-based sorting systems commonly used in recycling facilities.
Traditional carbon black typically hinders NIR detection, which can result in black plastics and packaging being misdirected to waste rather than recycled streams.
The new pigment retains the deep black appearance familiar from fossil-based carbon black while remaining compatible with existing industrial processing methods.
It also supports precise NIR sorting, which can help increase recycling rates for black packaging.
Raw material for UPM Circular Renewable Black is sourced from forests certified under Forest Stewardship Council and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes.
The pigment also carries International Sustainability & Carbon Certification Plus chain of custody certification.
The company positions the product within its broader range of CO₂-negative materials that will be produced at its €1.3bn ($1.52bn) biorefinery in Leuna, Germany.
That facility converts sustainably harvested hardwood into biochemicals used in various sectors.
The pigment is described as having a “verified cradle-to-gate carbon-negative footprint” based on a lifecycle assessment carried out according to ISO 14040/44 standards and reviewed by the Deutscher Kraftfahrzeug-Überwachungs-Verein (German Motor Vehicle Inspection/Monitoring Association).
UPM highlights lignin as a widely available natural polymer and positions the pigment as a renewable replacement for fossil-derived black colourants.
UPM Biorefining commercial vice-president Robert Marx stated: “With UPM Circular Renewable Black, we are redefining what’s possible in sustainable packaging.
“This innovation combines iconic deep black with full recycling detectability and a carbon-negative footprint, proving that sustainability and design excellence can go hand in hand.”
