Last updated: May 1, 2024

LIMEX as paper alternative

LIMEX, whose main raw material is inorganic substances such as calcium carbonate (limestone), is a material that can be used as a substitute for paper. LIMEX requires almost no water during production. Compared to paper, LIMEX can reduce water usage in factories by approximately 97% per ton of sheet. It can be used for a variety of purposes, such as packaging, business cards, booklets, and menus.

LIMEX Sheet products are as easy to recycle as products designed with a single material, and there are many examples of mechanical recycling in collaboration with businesses, consumers, and local governments. LIMEX Sheet products are combustible and can be incinerated, but rather than disposing of them as waste, we are promoting efforts to recycle them as resources.

*LIMEX Sheet products should not be mixed with waste paper collection in the same way as thermal paper such as receipts, carbon paper, sublimation transfer paper, thermal foam paper, synthetic paper, etc.

Amount of water used in factories

(Based on weight)
*These are calculated values for reference only, not guaranteed values. Values are subject to change depending on the formulation, manufacturing conditions, and data acquisition status of each product.
(Source) Changes in new water use intensity per ton of paper and paperboard production: Japan Paper Association
(Source) Annual water usage at the Tohoku LIMEX factory (excluding 15% water for daily use) divided by annual production volume (estimated amount of water for daily use was smaller than the "Unit water supply volume by building type, usage time, and number of people table" in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's "Water supply facility design and construction standards").

Features as an paper alternative

Save water and forest

The manufacturing process uses almost no water resources and does not use wood pulp, contributing to the conservation of resources that are at high risk of depletion.

Excellent durability and water-proof

Because it is more durable and water resistant than paper, it does not require lamination and is suitable for repeated use such as menus and maps.

High-quality texture and clear printing

It features a matte, high-quality texture and excellent color reproducibility.

Difference from stone paper

LIMEX is a composite material developed (patented) by TBM in Japan as an alternative to plastic and paper. There is a synthetic paper using limestone called Stone Paper developed by a Taiwanese manufacturer, but LIMEX has a different basic patent from Stone Paper.
In addition to extrusion molding used for printed matter and inflation molding used for packaging such as bags, we can also handle a variety of molding methods such as vacuum molding and injection molding as a material to replace plastic products. Stone paper is the name of an intermediate product developed by a Taiwanese manufacturer, and LIMEX is the name of the material, so the positions of the names are different in the manufacturing process.

material name	Intermediate product name	Usage	printed matter (business card)	vacuum molding (food container)	Injection molded product (smartphone case)	inflation (plastic bag)	Country of manufacture/Country of origin of limestone
LIMEX	LIMEX Pellet	plastic alternative	×	〇	〇	〇	Japan/Vietnam
LIMEX	LIMEX Sheet	paper alternative	〇	〇	〇	×	Japan/Vietnam
none	stone paper	paper alternative	〇	×	×	〇	Taiwan/China