What is Natural Butcher Paper? 3 Things You Need to Know

Working in the paper industry for so many years, we have recognized some common misnomers for different types of paper. Take butcher paper, for example. It's often mistaken for other similar papers such as kraft paper or freezer paper. The color of butcher paper is another topic that generates many questions. Whether you know butcher paper to be "pink" or "brown", the answer is: you're right.

Pink butcher paper, also often called “peach paper”, is a very popular option, both for its unique, rustic look, and because it’s great solution for wrapping food and smoking meats. But what many people may not realize is:

Pink, peach, natural, and brown butcher paper are all the same thing

They’re really all just different names for the same product. Think of it as sweet carbonated soft drinks that go by many names. Depending on where you grew up, you may call soft drinks “soda”, “pop” or “Coke” (regardless of the brand). 

Here at Oren International, we tend to refer to natural butcher paper as pink butcher paper, as the official product name on the label, and that’s how you will see it referred to throughout our website too. But, if someone reaches out to place an order for peach paper or natural butcher paper, we often explain the many names associated with pink butcher paper.

The difference between butcher paper, freezer paper, and kraft paper

As we alluded to in the opening sentence, there is occasionally some confusion out there regarding three regularly used types of industrial and food service paper: butcher paper, kraft paper, and freezer paper.

While all three come on rolls or in sheets and are available in some of the same colors, they have differences:

Kraft paper is a simple and versatile option:

• Available in many colors and weights (thicknesses)
• Often used in shipping as dunnage, wrap, or interleaving
• Also popular as construction paper to protect surfaces
• And used for crafts or as drawing paper

Butcher paper is most commonly used in food service applications:

• Traditionally developed for wrapping fresh meat to maintain moisture and flavor
• Also used for displaying meat and other foods
• More recently natural butcher paper has become very popular as a serving and presentation tool for barbecue and some other food genres
• Also popular combined with custom printing for restaurant branding purposes

Freezer paper is designed for use in the freezer:

• Its one poly-coated and one uncoated sides combine to create the perfect wrapping material for meat, fish, and other foods to protect them during the freezing and storage process
• Can be written on to label frozen packages
• White and natural are the most common, but specialty papers exist such as the Camo freezer paper made specifically for hunters.

So, now you have a guide on natural butcher paper: what it is, what it isn’t, and why it matters. Of course, here at Oren International, we have it all. Whether you’re shipping, wrapping, freezing, or finding any other reason to use paper, we can help make it happen for you. Contact us today.