First release paper to impart natural bacterial resistance recognized as a game-changing material for the furniture industry 

BOSTON – Sappi North America, a leading producer and global supplier of diversified paper and packaging products, has been recognized for its innovations in paper by interzum, the world’s leading trade fair for furniture production and interior design, which named Sappi’s recently launched Neoterix™ ST release paper as a winner of its intelligent material & design award.

interzum’s annual awards highlight visionary technologies, innovative materials and groundbreaking design across the industry. A jury of experts is responsible for reviewing participating companies’ most forward-thinking products, placing special emphasis on creative design that adds significant value to products and services.

Neoterix™ ST is the result of Sappi’s collaboration with Sharklet Technologies, Inc., with whom it entered an exclusive, worldwide license agreement in 2016 to manufacture and distribute casting and release paper and film that feature the groundbreaking Sharklet™ microtexture. Neoterix™ ST, which creates surfaces that resist bacterial attachment and growth without the use of toxic additives or chemicals, was chosen by five experts in design and architecture who were given a live demonstration of its capabilities. Judges included Dr. Luisa Bocchietto, architect and designer; Martin Darbyshire, founder and CEO of tangerine; Dick Spierenburg, designer for Spierenburg studio; Professor Dipl.-Ing. Martin Stosch and Professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and president of the Red Dot Award. 

“We’ve been extremely excited about the capabilities of Neoterix™ ST, so we’re thrilled to have it recognized by such an influential organization,” said Tom Collins, Vice President and General Manager, Specialties Business, Sappi North America. “Every day people come into contact with the texture imparted by Sappi’s release papers on almost every type of surface they encounter in their lives, including furniture and laminates. Neoterix™ ST is poised to make a significant impact on the health and safety of our home and office environments, so we hope this recognition will inspire designers, modelers and manufacturers to start marrying their designs with powerful functionality.”

To learn more about Neoterix™ ST and inhibiting bacterial growth on surfaces to reduce the risk of infections, visit the Sappi booth #C075 at interzum in Cologne, Germany, May 16-19 or email [email protected].