Holmen has introduced a new magazine paper designed to respond to evolving print and sustainability requirements, combining high whiteness with improved visual performance and a reduced carbon footprint.
Named Holmen Aspect, the wood-containing paper is engineered to deliver sharper photographic reproduction than conventional magazine grades while maintaining thickness and opacity at low grammage. The product targets publishers and brands seeking strong visual impact without increasing material use.
According to Holmen, the enhanced whiteness enables high dynamic range images to be reproduced with greater contrast and detail. The paper’s smooth, matt surface is intended to reduce glare while improving tactile quality, and its opacity limits show-through even at lower basis weights.
The development reflects broader shifts in magazine production, where cost efficiency, material reduction and print quality are increasingly addressed in parallel. By preserving the natural strength of fresh fibres during production, Holmen says the paper achieves bulk and stiffness typically associated with higher-weight grades.
The paper is produced using residual wood from sustainably managed Swedish forests and sawmills. Sweden’s forestry model emphasises replanting, biodiversity protection and long-term resource availability, forming the basis of Holmen’s fibre supply.
From an environmental perspective, Holmen reports that its paper mills operate with a carbon footprint around 800 kilograms per tonne of paper below the industry average, based on cradle-to-gate data from FisherSolve for the second quarter of 2025.
The launch of Holmen Aspect underscores the company’s continued focus on lightweight graphical papers positioned at the intersection of print performance and environmental efficiency, as magazine producers adapt to changing market expectations.
Holmen is a Nordic forest industry group producing paper, paperboard and wood products from fresh fibre sourced from sustainably managed forests. The company operates production facilities primarily in Sweden and the UK, supplying graphical papers and packaging materials to global markets.
Source: Holmen
