All about Tipping Paper You May Want to Know

Introduction

Tipping paper is one of the main raw materials in cigarette production.

This article introduces the processes of tipping paper, the current situation, and future development trends in tipping paper marketing in China.

Definition

Tipping paper is a cigarette packaging material used for connecting cigarette filter tips and tobacco.

It belongs to special industrial paper.

The unprinted tipping paper is called tipping base paper.

Tipping paper can be personalized by printing white base paper with customized patterns or colors.

Application

Cigarette Package.

Cigarette manufacturers assemble a filter and cigarette paper into a finished cigarette. And tipping paper is the out-package material.

See the process that a finished filter cigarette is made:

Wrap tobacco → stick cigarette paper → filter rod for 2 cigarettes → Connected with tipping paper → Adhering → Cut in the middle → get two finished filter cigarettes

Cutting in the middle – Cigarette Production

A worker is mounting a new tipping paper bobbin to the cigarette machine:

Mounting-Tipping-Paper

Raw Material and Printing

Jinfeng Paper makes 115-400CU tipping base paper and prints with 0-35 µm dedicated ink.

The Intaglio is made by electronic scanning engraving or laser engraving. Generally speaking, the engraving process influences the air permeability and ink consumption of the tipping paper.

If considering only one case, printed tipping papers by laser engraving gravure are higher ink consumption and low air permeability. Whilst printed papers by electronic engraving gravure are low ink consumption but unstable air permeability.

tipping-paper-patterns_Jinfeng-Paper

Typical specifications of tipping paper
Item	Unit	Standard Value
Width	mm	50-70
Grammage	gsm	32-39
Bobbin Length	m	2800-3000
Tensile Strength	kN/m	>1.9
Folding	times	>12
Smoothness	S	Front: 200-300 Rear: 50-90
Absorbing (COBB)	g/m2	23±5
Surface Pattern	customized	Colorized Hot foil stamping Cork Perforation Lip release Pearly

Certificates

The mainly required certificates for cigarette NTM material production:

Quality Management System (QMS)

ISO 9001

GB/T 19001

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

ISO 14001

GB/T 24001

Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OH&S)

ISO 45001

GB/T 45001

Development of Tipping Paper

In recent years, tipping papers have been developed with innovation regarding functions and uses. Except for cigarette packaging, decoration feature is more and more considered.

Meanwhile, perforation tipping paper is increasingly demanded by tobacco factories and consumers, due to its eco-friendly and harm-reduce.

In addition, tipping paper is also used by some cigarette factories as an anti-counterfeiting method.

Suppliers in China

In 2023, most tipping papers are supplied by international brands like PDL Cigarette Papers, Delfort Group, BMJ (Bukit Muria Jaya), etc.

In China, thanks to the big domestic market, there are some competitive manufacturers as well.

For instance, Yunnan Yuxi Tipping Paper Factory and Sichuan Jinfeng Paper, produce premium tipping base paper for Yuxi cigarettes, Jiaozi cigarettes, and other famous Chinese cigarette brands.

And joint ventures like Tann Longyou, supply tipping papers to domestic and Southeast Asia markets.

Finished-filter-cigarette-CN