Flexstone®
Application solution

Stone Paper Wallcovering Substrate — PVC-Free Alternative

A green alternative to PVC wallcovering. Flexstone is supplied to wallcovering manufacturers as unbacked face substrate, pre-laminated with non-woven or fabric backing, or self-adhesive — fully waterproof, dimensionally stable, and suitable for gravure, digital printing and embossing.

Wallcovering Substrates — illustrative image
Illustrative image
Context

Why this application is changing

The wallcovering industry is under pressure from two directions. More than 90 countries have implemented or are advancing plastic-ban legislation, consumers are asking for green building materials, and brand owners scrutinise supply-chain carbon footprints. Traditional substrates — petroleum-based PVC, or wood- and water-intensive non-woven and pure paper — face both regulatory and market pressure.

Stone paper replaces wood pulp with calcium carbonate mineral powder, so production uses zero trees and zero process water. Compared with wood pulp paper, stone paper production reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 67%, cuts water consumption by about 97%, and consumes only about 15% of the energy. It combines the printability of paper with the physical durability of film.

Why Flexstone

What Flexstone brings

Clear eco-credentials
Zero trees, zero process water, no bleaching. One ton of stone paper replacing wood pulp paper saves approximately 18 trees and 35,000 litres of water, and reduces CO₂ emissions by 67%.
Reliable physical performance
Fully waterproof, dimensionally stable and tear-resistant — no expansion or contraction with humidity changes — suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and other humid rooms.
Superior convertibility
The warm white tone gives precise colour reproduction, with opacity of ≥92% to ≥95% on the fabric-backed part numbers (NMEQS-MACO 299). The web stays dimensionally stable through gravure and digital printing.
Stable roll quality
Wide-web format at 1.52 m with excellent flatness — stable feeding at high speeds with no curling or warping.
Broad application scope
Residential wallcoverings, hotel guest rooms, office spaces, commercial displays and furniture surfacing.
Product formats

Choose the format that fits your process

Unbacked wallcovering substrate (no backing)

Flexstone rolls serve as a direct face substrate. Manufacturers apply their own backing (non-woven, fabric, etc.) and run embossing, graining and printing on their own production routes.

Construction (schematic)
12
  1. Print-receptive coating
  2. Flexstone base — CaCO₃ 60–80% + resin
  • Superior flatness for stable web feeding at high speeds — no curling or warping
  • Dimensionally stable in gravure and digital printing
  • Optimised surface coating for strong ink adhesion and precise colour reproduction
  • Warm white, opaque surface for light-coloured and vibrant patterns
  • Suitable for post-printing embossing and graining
Recommended weight
150–360 g/m²
Recommended thickness
150–300 μm
Recommended printing
Gravure (industry standard), digital

Pre-laminated wallcovering (non-woven / fabric backing)

Flexstone is pre-laminated with non-woven or fabric backing at the factory. Manufacturers proceed directly to surface printing, embossing and finishing.

Construction (schematic)
123
  1. Print-receptive coating
  2. Flexstone base — CaCO₃ 60–80% + resin
  3. Non-woven or fabric backing
  • Eliminates the backing lamination step — lower production cost and process complexity
  • Enhanced overall strength — easier handling during installation
  • Backing material customisable (non-woven / fabric / others)
  • Retains all printing and converting advantages of the Flexstone face layer
Recommended weight (total after lamination)
250–460 g/m²
Recommended thickness (total after lamination)
300–600 μm

Self-adhesive wallcovering (permanent adhesive)

Flexstone is pre-coated on the reverse with a permanent acrylic adhesive and protected by a release liner. Manufacturers slit, package and distribute it as peel-and-stick wallcovering.

Construction (schematic)
1234
  1. Print-receptive coating
  2. Flexstone base — CaCO₃ 60–80% + resin
  3. Permanent acrylic adhesive
  4. Release liner
  • No on-site adhesive application — clean, convenient and time-saving
  • High initial tack — secure adhesion once applied
  • Fully waterproof and tear-resistant — suitable for kitchens and bathrooms
  • Ideal for the DIY market and rapid renovation projects
Recommended weight (face material)
150–250 g/m²
Total weight
Depends on adhesive coat weight and release liner
Converting route

From substrate roll to finished wallcovering

  1. 01Flexstone substrate

    1.52 m wide-web rolls, flat at speed.

  2. 02Gravure or digital print

    Strong ink adhesion, fine pattern detail.

  3. 03Emboss / grain

    Material flexibility allows rich surface texture.

  4. 04Backing or adhesive

    Non-woven, fabric or permanent adhesive.

  5. 05Slit and pack

    Finished wallcovering rolls.

Data

Comparison and specification tables

Flexstone vs. conventional wallcovering substrates
ComparisonFlexstone Eco-MaterialPVC wallcoveringPure paper wallcovering
Raw materialCalcium carbonate + resinPVC + plasticizersWood pulp
Trees used0 trees0 trees (petroleum-based)Trees required
Water usageNear zeroModerateHigh (~35,000 L/ton)
CO₂ emissions~67% lower than wood pulp paperHigherBaseline (1,431 kg CO₂/ton)
WaterproofFully waterproofFully waterproofPoor (disintegrates when wet)
Dimensional stabilityExcellent (no shrink/swell with humidity)ExcellentPoor
Tear resistanceHighHigh (higher with fabric backing)Low
ConvertibilitySuitable for embossing, graining, gravure and digital printingSuitable (mature process)Suitable
Eco credentialsTree-free, water-free, no bleach, recyclableContains chlorine; plasticizer concernsFSC (limited)
IncinerationNo toxic gases, no black smokeMay release HCl and other toxic gasesMay release dioxins

Source: Flexstone Eco-Material Wallcovering Substrate Solutions.

Wallcovering converting compatibility
ProcessCompatibilityNotes
Gravure printingExcellentIndustry-standard process for wallcoverings; strong ink adhesion, fine pattern detail
Digital printingExcellentSuitable for short-run and customised wallcovering production
Embossing / grainingSuitableMaterial flexibility enables rich surface texture creation
Backing laminationSuitableCompatible with non-woven, fabric and other backing materials
CoatingSuitableEnables additional functional coatings as required
Wallcovering substrate specifications
ParameterSpecification
Width1.52 m / 60 inches (standard wide-web format)
LengthCustomisable — jumbo rolls up to 1,000+ metres
Weight range120–350 g/m² (customisable upon request)
Thickness range120–350 μm (customisable upon request)
Surface finishWarm white matte, printable and embossable
Backing optionsUnbacked / non-woven backing / fabric backing / self-adhesive (permanent)
ComplianceCompliant with RoHS, REACH and other international standards

Figures as printed in the Wallcovering Substrate Solutions brochure. The brochure is not consistent with itself or with the specification sheet: its unbacked-substrate card recommends 150–360 g/m² and 150–300 μm while this table gives 120–350 g/m² and 120–350 μm, and its 1.52 m / 60 in width differs from the 50 m × 1500 mm rolls on specification sheet NMEQS-MACO 299 for the fabric-backed part numbers. Confirm width, weight and thickness for the part number you order.

Where Flexstone is not the right choice

  • Flexstone currently cannot fully replace PVC wallcovering in applications with stringent fire-safety requirements. Halogen-free, eco-friendly fire-retardant formulations are still under development.
Recommended series

Flexstone products for this application

Flexstone® Wall Fabric — illustrative image
Illustrative image
FAB5Flexstone® Wall FabricFabric-backed Flexstone wallcovering in 50 m × 1500 mm rolls.Fabric-backed1500 mm rollsPVC alternative8 modelsView series →
Flexstone® Self-Adhesive Inkjet Media — illustrative image
Illustrative image
PSA · WRAFlexstone® Self-Adhesive Inkjet MediaOne-side printable self-adhesive Flexstone for wide-format inkjet printers, supplied as 50 m rolls.Permanent PSARemovable WRAWide-format rolls6 modelsView series →
Flexstone® Inkjet Media — illustrative image
Illustrative image
SFlexstone® Inkjet MediaNon-adhesive Flexstone roll media for (eco) solvent, HP Latex and wide-format UV inkjet printers.Eco-solvent / Latex / wide-format UV inkjet0.22–0.32 mm50 m rolls6 modelsView series →

Source: Flexstone Eco-Material Wallcovering Substrate Solutions · Reviewed 2026-10-12

Other applications

Labels & Hang TagsWide-Format Display GraphicsCommercial Print & PackagingInterior Decoration & Furniture FilmsMolded & Extruded Products

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