A PACKAGING MATERIAL AND A POUCHED PRODUCT FOR ORAL USE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a packaging material for use in a pouched product for oral use in order to enclose a filling material. The packaging material is a saliva-permeable nonwoven material comprising fibres. The packaging material is a wetlaid nonwoven material, or, alternatively, the fibres are carded and the nonwoven material is hydroentangled, or, alternatively, the fibres are carded and the packaging material has a basis weight ≤30 g/m.sup.2. 50%-100% of the fibres are cellulose-based staple fibres, and 0%-50% of the fibres are thermoplastic fibres, with % numbers being based on total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH. The packaging material further comprising at least 10% of a binder, taken as a wt % of a total weight of the packaging material. The present invention also relates to a pouched product for oral use comprising such a packaging material. The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing of a packaging material for a pouched product for oral use.

Claims

1. A packaging material for a pouched product, comprising: a saliva-permeable wetlaid nonwoven material comprising fibres, wherein: 50%-100% of said fibres are cellulose-based staple fibres, and 0%-50% of said fibres are thermoplastic fibres, wherein the % numbers are based on the total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH, wherein said packaging material further comprises at least 10% of a binder, based on a wt % of a total weight of said packaging material, wherein said packaging material is configured to enclose a filling material and, wherein said packaging material is configured for oral use.

2-22. (canceled).

23. A packaging material for a pouched product, comprising: a saliva-permeable nonwoven material comprising fibres, which are carded, wherein said nonwoven material is hydroentangled, wherein 50%-100% of said fibres are cellulose-based staple fibres and 0%-50% of said fibres are thermoplastic fibres, wherein the % numbers are based on the total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH, wherein said packaging material further comprises at least 10% of a binder, based on a wt % of a total weight of said packaging material, wherein said packaging material is configured to enclose a filling material and, wherein said packaging material is configured for oral use.

24. A packaging material for a pouched product, comprising: a saliva-permeable nonwoven material comprising fibres, which are carded, wherein 50%-100% of said fibres are cellulose-based staple fibres, and 0%-50% of said fibres are thermoplastic fibres, wherein the % numbers are based on the total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH, wherein said packaging material further comprises at least 10% of a binder, based on a wt % of a total weight of said packaging material, wherein said packaging material is configured to enclose a filling material, wherein said packaging material is configured for oral use and, wherein said packaging material has a basis weight ≤30 g/m.sup.2.

25. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein 55%-99% of said fibres are cellulose-based staple fibres and, wherein the % numbers are based on the total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH.

26. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein 1%-45% of said fibres are thermoplastic fibres, wherein the % numbers are based on the total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH.

27. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said fibres consist of said cellulose-based staple fibres and said thermoplastic fibres.

28. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said packaging material consists of said cellulose-based staple fibres, said thermoplastic fibres and said binder.

29. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said packaging material has a basis weight ≥25 g/m.sup.2.

30. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said cellulose-based staple fibres are natural cellulose fibres or man-made cellulose-based fibres.

31. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said cellulose-based staple fibres have a linear density ≤3.3 decitex.

32. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said cellulose-based staple fibres have a length within the range of 2-15 mm.

33. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic fibres are one or more of PP, PLA, PET, PP/PE, or PLA/co-PLA.

34. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic fibres have a length within the range of 2-15 mm.

35. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic fibres have a linear density ≤4.4 decitex.

36. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic fibres have a melting point within the range of 110-260° C.

37. The packaging material according to claim 1, wherein said binder constitutes 20%-60% of a total weight of said packaging material.

38. A pouched product comprising a filling material and a saliva-permeable pouch, wherein said pouch product encloses a portion of said filling material, wherein said pouch product comprises a packaging material according to claim 1 and, wherein said packaging material is sealed with at least one seal to enclose said portion.

39. The pouched product according to claim 38, wherein said thermoplastic fibres are at least partially melted in said seal.

40. The pouched product according to claim 38, wherein said pouched product is a pouched nicotine-containing product configured for oral use, a pouched tobacco product configured for oral use or a pouched nicotine-free product configured for oral use.

41. A method for manufacturing the packaging material of claim 1, comprising: providing said fibres, wet-laying said fibres, bonding said fibres by providing said binder and, optionally hydroentangling said fibres.

42. A method for manufacturing of the packaging material of claim 23, comprising: providing said fibres, carding said fibres, hydroentangling said fibres, and bonding said fibres by providing said binder.

43. A method for manufacturing the packaging material of claim 24, comprising: providing said fibres, in an amount such that said packaging material has a basis weight ≤30 g/m.sup.2, carding said fibres, bonding said fibres by providing said binder and, optionally hydroentangling said fibres.

Description

DISCLOSURE

[0054] The object of the present disclosure is to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

[0055] The object above may be achieved by the subject-matter of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 17, 20, 21 and/or 22. Embodiments are set forth in the appended dependent claims and in the description.

[0056] The present invention relates to a packaging material for use in a pouched product for oral use in order to enclose a filling material.

[0057] The packaging material is a saliva-permeable wetlaid nonwoven material comprising fibres. Alternatively, the packaging material is a saliva-permeable nonwoven material comprising fibres, which are carded, the nonwoven material being hydroentangled. Alternatively, the packaging material is a saliva-permeable nonwoven material comprising fibres, which are carded, wherein the packaging material has a basis weight 30 g/m.sup.2.

[0058] For the packaging material described herein, which are also mentioned above in different alternatives, 50%-100% of the fibres are cellulose-based staple fibres, and 0%-50% of the fibres are thermoplastic fibres, with % numbers being based on total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH. The packaging material further comprises at least 10% of a binder, taken as a wt % of a total weight of the packaging material.

[0059] By utilizing a packing material as described herein, it is possible to manufacture a pouched product for oral use having appropriate strength both for the packaging material and the seals and which yet is flexible enough to be comfortable when the pouched product is placed in the buccal cavity of the user.

[0060] The pouched product may a be pouched nicotine-containing product for oral use, a pouched tobacco product for oral use and/or a pouched nicotine-free product for oral use.

[0061] The pouched products may be positioned randomly in a container or in a pattern, for instance as described in WO 2012/069505. The container may be a user container for pouched products for oral use typically comprising in the range of 10-30 products, such as in the range of 20-25 products. The user container as disclosed herein is a consumer package having a shape and a size adapted for conveniently carrying the consumer package in a pocket or in a handbag and may be used for packaging any known type of pouched product for oral use.

[0062] By utilizing the packaging material according to the invention, it is possible to make sufficiently strong seals, also for seals being made with ultrasonic sealing, which typically are much narrower than seals made with heat-sealing. The seal strength is further high enough to also be sufficiently strong if the product comprises one or more aggressive flavours.

[0063] Commonly used packaging materials may often suffer from having a seal strength of the pouched product being less than desirable. Some flavours, comprised in the filling material, e.g. the smokeless tobacco composition or non-tobacco composition material, enclosed by the packaging material in the pouched product, are known to be able to have a potentially negative impact on the seal strength, especially over time, for pouched products made with known technology, which may lead to seal rupture upon storage of the products. In particular, impaired seal strength is a problem for moist pouched products. The strength of the packaging material as described herein and the strength of the seals may be adapted to resist such flavours better than commonly used packaging materials for pouched products.

[0064] In addition, the leakage of the filling material through the packaging material is held at an acceptable level for packaging materials and pouched products for oral use according to the invention. Moreover, characteristics of the packaging material, such as air permeability and/or median pore size may be selected to be within desired levels.

[0065] The binder may be of the commonly used types for packaging materials for pouched products. The binder may e.g. be classified as an emulsion of one or several vinyl polymers/co-polymers formed by polymerization of any of the following monomers, e.g. vinyl acetate, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, acrylic acid, methyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylacrylate. Such binders are known to the skilled person, e.g. from chapter 10 of the textbook “Introduction to Nonwovens Technology”, Subhash K. Batra, Behnam Pourdeyhimi, 2012, ISBN No 978-1-60595-037-2.

[0066] If the packaging material according to the invention is a saliva-permeable wetlaid nonwoven material, as described in the first alternative, the nonwoven material may in addition be hydroentangled. It may then be preferable to perform the hydroentangling step before providing the binder.

[0067] If the packaging material according to the invention is a saliva-permeable nonwoven material comprising carded fibres, as described in the second alternative, disclosing that the nonwoven material is hydroentangled, it may be preferable to perform the hydroentangling step before providing the binder.

[0068] Of all the fibres of the packaging material according to the invention, the cellulose-based fibres preferably may make up 55%-99% of the fibre weight, preferably 58%-95%, more preferably 65%-85%, most preferably 70%-80%, with % numbers being based on total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH. It is also feasible to only use cellulose-based fibres, i.e. to completely dispense with the thermoplastic fibres.

[0069] Of all the fibres of the packaging material according to the invention, the thermoplastic fibres may make up 1%-45% of the fibre weight, preferably 5%-42%, more preferably 15%-35%, most preferably 20%-30%, with % numbers being based on total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH. It is also feasible to completely dispense with the thermo-plastic fibres.

[0070] The fibres of the packaging material according to the invention may consist of the cellulose-based staple fibres and the thermoplastic fibres. It would also be feasible to add further fibres.

[0071] The packaging material may consist of the cellulose-based staple fibres, the thermoplastic fibres and the binder.

[0072] The basis weight of the packaging material, also known as the grammage, may be ≥25 g/m.sup.2, more preferably ≥27 g/m.sup.2, most preferably ≥29 g/m.sup.2. An upper limit for the basis weight of the packaging material may be 45 g/m.sup.2, 42 g/m.sup.2 or 40 g/m.sup.2. For the packaging material according to the invention comprising carded fibres but the nonwoven material not being hydroentangled, as described in the third alternative above, the packaging material has a basis weight ≤30 g/m.sup.2.

[0073] The cellulose-based fibres may be natural cellulose fibres or a man-made cellulose-based fibres, e.g. regenerated cellulose fibres, such as rayon, lyocell or viscose. Tencel is a brand name for lyocell.

[0074] The cellulose-based fibres are known to be soft, relatively inelastic and/or moisture absorbent. Thereby the packaging material may be given desired mechanical properties, such that the packaging material is easy to handle during manufacturing of the packaging material itself and/or during manufacturing of the pouched product and yet comfortable when the pouched product is placed in the buccal cavity of the user. Further, these fibres are hydrophilic, which is advantageous when used for a pouched product.

[0075] Man-made fibres are fibres whose chemical composition, structure, and properties are significantly modified during the manufacturing process. They are made of polymers. Man-made fibres are to be distinguished from natural fibres. Natural fibres also consist of polymers but they emerge from the manufacturing process in a relatively unaltered state.

[0076] Some man-made fibres are derived from naturally occurring polymers, e.g. rayon, lyocell or viscose, which are derived from cellulose fibres. However, the cellulose is acquired in a radically altered state as compared to the raw material source, e.g. wood, and is further modified in order to be regenerated into man-made cellulose-based fibres. Such fibres, e.g. the rayon, lyocell or viscose, are known as regenerated cellulose fibres.

[0077] Another group of man-made fibres, which is much larger, is synthetic fibres. Synthetic fibres are made of polymers that do not occur naturally but instead are produced entirely in e.g. a chemical plant or laboratory.

[0078] The cellulose-based staple fibres may have a linear density ≤3.3 decitex, preferably ≤1.7 decitex, more preferably ≤1.3 decitex, most preferably ≤0.9 decitex.

[0079] If the packaging material according to the invention is a saliva-permeable wetlaid nonwoven material, as described in the first alternative, the cellulose-based staple fibres may have a length within the range of 2-15 mm, preferably within the range of 3-12 mm, more preferably in the range of 5-8 mm.

[0080] If the packaging material according to the invention comprises carded fibres, as described in the second and third alternatives, the cellulose-based staple fibres may have a length within the range of 30-80 mm, preferably within the range of 38-60 mm. Commonly used lengths are 38, 40, 60 and 80 mm.

[0081] The thermoplastic fibres may be one or more of PP, PLA, PET, PP/PE, PLA/co-PLA, wherein PP denotes polypropylene, PLA denotes polylactic acid, PET denotes polyethylene terephthalate and PE denotes polyethene. PP/PE is a bicomponent fibre, e.g. a sheath/core bi-component fibres with PP in the core and PE in the sheath. PLA/co-PLA is a bicomponent fibre, e.g. a sheath/core bi-component fibres with PLA in the core and coPLA in the sheath

[0082] The thermoplastic fibres may have the same or a different length as compared to the cellulose-based fibres. When two or more thermoplastic fibres are used, they may have the same or different lengths.

[0083] If the packaging material according to the invention is a saliva-permeable wetlaid nonwoven material, as described in the first alternative, the thermoplastic fibres may have a length within the range of 2-15 mm, preferably within the range of 3-12 mm, more preferably in the range of 5-8 mm.

[0084] If the packaging material according to the invention comprises carded fibres, as described in the second and third alternatives, the thermoplastic fibres may have a length within the range of 30-80 mm, preferably within the range of 38-60 mm. Commonly used lengths are 38, 40, 60 and 80 mm.

[0085] The thermoplastic fibres may have a linear density ≤4.4 decitex, preferably ≤2.2 decitex, more preferably ≤1.7 decitex, most preferably ≤1.3 decitex.

[0086] The thermoplastic fibres may have a melting point within the range of 110-260° C., preferably within the range of 130-170° C., preferably within the range of 140-165° C. Hence, these fibres will at least partially melt, preferably substantially melt, in the seal, thus contributing to a sufficient seal strength.

[0087] The binder may constitute 20%-60% of a total weight of the packaging material, preferably 25%-55% of a total weight of the packaging material, more preferably 30%-50% of a total weight of the packaging material, most preferably 35%-45% of a total weight of the packaging material.

[0088] The packaging material may have a dry seal strength of at least 0.2 N/mm, preferably at least 0.25 N/mm, more preferably at least 0.3 N/mm, most preferably at least 0.35 N/mm, assuming the seal being made by ultrasonic welding. These levels have been found to deliver sufficient seal strength for the product. The dry seal strength values may be determined with the CORESTA method for seal strength, as disclosed in further detail elsewhere herein.

[0089] The packaging material may have an air permeability ≤4000 l/m.sup.2/s, preferably ≤3500l/m.sup.2/s, more preferably ≤3000 l/m.sup.2/s, when measured according to the test method WSP070.1.R3(12) specified by EDANA, i.e. the European Disposables and Nonwovens Association. The air permeability is associated with the porosity of the packaging material and hence also associated with its tendency to leak filling material.

[0090] The packaging material may have a median pore size ≤300 μm.sup.2, preferably ≤250 μm.sup.2, more preferably ≤200 μm.sup.2, most preferably ≤150 μm.sup.2. The mean pore size of the packaging material is associated with its tendency to leak filling material.

[0091] The packaging material may have a powder leakage ≤400 mg, preferably ≤200 mg, more preferably ≤100 mg, most preferably ≤50 mg or even ≤20 mg, as measured with the method for leakage of powder through the packaging material as described herein.

[0092] The present invention also relates to a pouched product for oral use. The pouched product comprises a filling material and a saliva-permeable pouch. The pouch encloses a portion of the filling material, which is intended to make up a portion of a suitable size for the user. The pouch comprises or consists of a packaging material as described herein, wherein the packaging material is sealed with at least one seal to enclose the portion.

[0093] Thereby it is ascertained that the seal has an appropriate seal strength for a product to be used in the buccal cavity. The advantages described above for the packaging material are applicable for the pouched product as well.

[0094] There are two main ways of sealing the packaging material: heat-sealing and ultrasonic welding, but the packaging material as described herein is advantageous for both. However, other methods may also be used. A suitable method and apparatus for ultrasonic welding is disclosed in WO 2017/093486 A1 relating to a sealing device for sealing a packaging material enclosing a portion of a filling material to provide portion-packed pouched products. The document further relates to an arrangement for manufacturing of portion-packed pouched products, which arrangement comprises such a sealing device. The document also relates to a method for portion-packing of a pouched product.

[0095] The thermoplastic fibres may be at least partially melted, preferably substantially melted, in the seal.

[0096] The pouched product may a be pouched nicotine-containing product for oral use, a pouched tobacco product for oral use and/or a pouched nicotine-free product for oral use.

[0097] When tested as a product with the measurement method as described herein, the pouched product may have a powder leakage ≤100 mg, preferably ≤50 mg, more preferably ≤25 mg, most preferably ≤10 mg or ≤2 mg as measured with the method for leakage of powder from product as described herein.

[0098] An example of an pouched product for oral use, also referred to as an oral pouched product, comprises a filling material and a saliva-permeable pouch of a packaging material enclosing the filling material, the filling material comprising:

[0099] a particulate non-tobacco material,

[0100] a nicotine source,

[0101] water in an amount within the range of from 1 wt % to 45 wt % based on the total weight of the filling material, and

[0102] a pH adjusting agent, e.g. comprising Na.sub.2CO.sub.3, K.sub.2CO.sub.3, NaHCO.sub.3 and/or KHCO.sub.3.

[0103] The pouched product may be free from tobacco, i.e. an oral pouched nicotine non-tobacco product.

[0104] Alternatively, the oral pouched product may comprise a low amount of tobacco material thereby providing an oral pouched low tobacco nicotine product. The amount of tobacco material of the oral pouched low tobacco nicotine product may be within the range of from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight such as from about 0.1% to about 5% by weight, such as from about 0.1 wt % to about 1 wt %, based on the total weight of the filling material. The presence of this small amount of tobacco will not impact the pH of the product to be substantially different from that exhibited by the oral pouched tobacco free products described herein.

[0105] The tobacco material may be provided in a form as described herein.

[0106] Further, the tobacco material may be a purified tobacco material, such as a bleached tobacco material or a tobacco extract.

[0107] The tobacco material described herein may comprise one, two or more particulate non-tobacco materials.

[0108] The amount of water of the filling material of the pouched product described herein may be present in an amount within the range of from about 0.5 wt % to about 12 wt % such as from about 0.5 wt % to about 5 wt %, such as about 3 wt %, based on the total weight of the filling material. When the amount of water is within the range of from about 0.5 wt % to about 12 wt % or from about 0.5 wt % to about 3 wt % as described herein, the pouched product may be considered dry, i.e. a dry pouched product.

[0109] Alternatively, the water content of the filling material of the pouched product described herein may be within the range of from about 20 wt % to about 50 wt %, such as from 20 wt % to 45 wt %, based on the total weight of the filling material. When the amount of water is within the range of from about 20 wt % to about 45 wt % as described herein the pouched product may be considered moist, i.e. a moist the pouched product.

[0110] The filling material of the pouched product described herein may comprise particulate non-tobacco material within the range of from about 30 wt % to about 90 wt %, such as from about 30 wt % to about 85 wt %, such as from about 30 wt % to about 80 wt %, such as from about 60 wt % to about 90 wt %, based on the total weight of the filling material.

[0111] The particulate non-tobacco material may be water-insoluble, water-soluble or a combination thereof.

[0112] The particulate non-tobacco material may comprise or consist of a sugar alcohol such as maltitol, and/or of cellulose such as microcrystalline cellulose and/or powdered cellulose. For instance, the particulate non-tobacco material may comprise maltitol and/or micro-crystalline cellulose.

[0113] Additionally or alternatively, the filling material of the pouched product described herein may comprise one or more water-insoluble fibres selected from the group consisting of maize fibres, oat fibres, tomato fibres, barley fibres, rye fibres, sugar beet fibres, buck wheat fibres, wheat fibres, pea fibres, potato fibres, apple fibres, cocoa fibres, bamboo fibres, citrus fibres, and any combination thereof. In an example, the water-insoluble fibres may form part of the non-tobacco particulate material.

[0114] The filling material may comprise one, two or more nicotine sources.

[0115] The filling material of the pouched product as described herein may comprise within the range of from about 1.0% to about 10% by weight of the nicotine source, based on the total weight of the filling material.

[0116] The nicotine source may be a nicotine salt and/or nicotine base. The nicotine source such as nicotine base may be bound to an ion exchange resin, such as polacrilex, e.g. via a salt bridge. Alternatively or additionally, the ion exchange resin may function as a solid support for the nicotine source such as nicotine base.

[0117] Nicotine base, such as in the form of an oily liquid, may be synthetically produced or extracted from tobacco.

[0118] The nicotine source may be a nicotine salt such as a nicotine salt selected from the group consisting of nicotine hydrochloride, nicotine dihydrochloride, nicotine monotartrate, nicotine bitartrate, nicotine bitartrate dihydrate, nicotine sulphate, nicotine zinc chloride monohydrate and nicotine salicylate, and any combination thereof.

[0119] In particular, the filling material may comprise nicotine bitartrate and/or nicotine bitartrate dihydrate.

[0120] The amount of nicotine source such as nicotine salt and/or nicotine base per pouched product may be within the range from about 0.1 mg to about 20 mg of nicotine calculated as nicotine base, such as about 0.5 mg, about 1.0 mg, about 1.5 mg, about 2.0 mg, about 2.5 mg, about 3.0 mg, about 3.5 mg, about 4.0 mg, about 4.5 mg, about 5.0 mg, about 6.0 mg, about 7.0 mg, about 8.0 mg, about 9.0 mg, about 10 mg, about 12 mg, about 14 mg, about 16 mg, about 18 mg, or about 20 mg of nicotine.

[0121] The nicotine salt of the filling material in the pouched product as disclosed herein may be a nicotine salt present in solid form and/or dissolved form.

[0122] The nicotine source as disclosed herein may be adsorbed or non-adsorbed onto the particulate non-tobacco material as disclosed herein. It will be appreciated that the expression “adsorbed onto” means that the nicotine source adheres to an outer surface of the non-tobacco particulate material. When the nicotine source is adsorbed onto the non-tobacco particulate material it adheres to the outer surface of said non-tobacco particulate material without substantially penetrating into any void(s) of said non-tobacco particulate material.

[0123] Alternatively or additionally, the nicotine source as disclosed herein may be absorbed into and/or adsorbed onto the tobacco material described herein.

[0124] The filling material of the pouched product described herein may further comprise a flavouring agent. The filling material may comprise one, two or more flavouring agents. For example the flavouring agent may be a non-encapsulated agent. Additionally or alternatively, the flavouring agent may be encapsulated. The non-encapsulated flavouring agent and the encapsulated flavouring agent may be the same or different. As used herein, an encapsulated flavouring agent is a flavouring agent contained within a capsule. Accordingly, a non-encapsulated flavouring agent is not contained within a capsule.

[0125] The flavouring agent of the filling material in the pouched product as disclosed herein may be a hydrophobic flavouring agent.

[0126] The flavouring agent of the filling material of the pouched product described herein may be an oil, a liquid, a lyophilized material, a spray-dried material, or a mixture thereof. In an example, the flavouring agent(s) is/are an oil and/or a liquid.

[0127] The filling material of the pouched product described herein may comprise within the range of from about 0.5% to about 3% by weight of the flavouring agent, based on the total weight of the filling material.

[0128] The filling material of the pouched product described may comprise a humectant such as polypropylene glycol.

[0129] In the pouched product as described herein, the particulate non-tobacco material, the nicotine source, the water, the pH adjusting agent, optionally the tobacco material, optionally the flavouring agent and optionally the humectant may be homogeneously mixed.

[0130] WO 2012/134380 discloses a pouch containing nicotine in free salt form, i.e. a pouched nicotine-containing non-tobacco product for oral use. The product comprises a powder of at least one free nicotine salt, at least one pH adjusting agent and at least one filler, and a water insoluble pouch, wherein said pouch is permeable for saliva and therein dissolved parts of the powder. Such a powder is suitable to be used as a filling material in the product described herein.

[0131] The pouched product as disclosed herein is intended for use in the oral cavity, such as by buccal placement (e.g. by placing the pouched product between the upper or lower gum and the lip or cheek), and may therefore be referred to as portion-packed (pouched) product for oral use. The pouched product is sized and configured to fit comfortably and discreetly in a user's mouth between the upper or lower gum and the lip or cheek.

[0132] The pouched product as disclosed herein may have an oblong shape, such as a substantially rectangular shape (as seen from above when the product is placed on a planar surface). In such case, the longitudinal direction of the product corresponds to the length of the substantially rectangular product and the transverse direction of the product corresponds to the width of the substantially rectangular product.

[0133] The total weight of the pouched product (including filling material and packaging material) may be within the range of from about 0.3 to about 1.5 g.

[0134] The filling material of the pouched product described herein may be provided as a powder or granulate. Thus, the filling material enclosed by the saliva-permeable pouch of the packaging material may be provided in a non-compressed form.

[0135] The pouched (i.e. portion-packed) products may be positioned randomly in a container or in a pattern, for instance as described in WO 2012/069505. Alternatively or additionally, each pouched product may be placed in a sachet.

[0136] The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing of a packaging material for a pouched product for oral use, the packaging material being a saliva-permeable nonwoven material comprising fibres, 50%-100% of the fibres being cellulose-based staple fibres, and 0%-50% of the fibres being thermoplastic fibres, with % numbers being based on total weight of fibres at 21° C. and 50% RH. The packaging material further comprising at least 10% of the binder, taken as a wt % of a total weight of the packaging material.

[0137] The method comprises providing the fibres, wet-laying the fibres and bonding the fibres by providing the binder. The method may further comprise an optional step of hydroentangling the fibres, preferably the hydroentangling being performed before providing the binder.

[0138] An alternative method comprises providing the fibres, carding the fibres, hydroentangling the fibres and bonding the fibres by providing the binder, preferably the hydroentangling being performed before providing the binder.

[0139] Another alternative method comprises providing the fibres, in an amount such that the packaging material has a basis weight ≤30 g/m.sup.2, carding the fibres and bonding the fibres by providing the binder. The method may further comprise an optional step of hydroentangling the fibres, preferably the hydroentangling being performed before providing the binder.

[0140] The methods described herein are useful to manufacture packaging material as described herein. The packaging material is typically manufactured as a web of packaging material.

[0141] Further modifications of the invention within the scope of the appended claims are feasible. As such, the present invention should not be considered as limited by the embodiments and figures described herein. Rather, the full scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims, with reference to the description and drawings.