Wraps & Liners

Grease-Proof Box Liner

A grease-resistant paper that lines takeout boxes and serving trays to hold oily foods.

A grease-proof box liner is a coated paper sheet or formed tray that lines takeout boxes, baskets, and serving trays for fried and oily foods. It keeps the container clean, absorbs surface grease, and presents the food neatly for service. Paper food boats and compartment trays are formed versions of the same liner.

A grease-proof box liner is the unsung paper that keeps pizza grease from turning a delivery box into a translucent window and stops fish and chips from leaking through their wrapper. It looks like ordinary kraft but is made from a very tightly refined pulp, sometimes with a thin coating of wax, silicone, or (historically) chrome complexes, that closes off the microscopic channels oil would otherwise wick through. The liner's job is simple and physical: hold the food, hold the grease, hold the box together long enough for the meal to reach the table or the customer.

Behind that simplicity sits a real technical specification. Grease holdout is measured by industry tests such as TAPPI T 454 (the turpentine test) and T 507 (the kit test), and suppliers rate their papers by how many minutes or how many kit levels they survive before oil penetrates. Modern procurement is no longer just about price and size; it increasingly requires third-party food-contact certification (FDA 21 CFR in the US, EU Regulation 1935/2004 across Europe) and, where chains are eliminating fluorochemicals and chromium treatments, documented PFAS-free and compostability claims. The practical cook or operator does not need to memorize the spec sheets, but knowing that 'greaseproof' is a graded property, not a single thing, explains why one liner survives a pepperoni pizza and another soaks through under fried fish.

For the home cook or small operator, a stack of these sheets is one of the most useful disposable supplies to keep on hand, in the same league as parchment and butcher paper, and a great deal cheaper when bought by the case.

Alternatives

Deli PaperParchment PaperNewspaper (Traditional, Non Food Grade)

Types & varieties

Natural Greaseproof Kraft

High-density unbleached pulp with no added coating; relies entirely on tight fiber structure to resist grease. Workhorse for pizza and burger boxes.

Dry-Wax Greaseproof

Light wax coating on one side; economical and common for sandwich wrap, basket liners, and deli sheets.

Wet-Wax Greaseproof

Heavier wax coating, often both sides; more water- and grease-resistant, used in fry cups, fish-and-chips wraps, and any wet-oil application.

Silicone-Coated Greaseproof

Platinum-cured silicone on one or both sides; oven-safe to roughly 220°C / 425°F; widely accepted as compostable in industrial facilities.

Vegetable Parchment

Acid-treated and densely hydrated paper with a silicone or Quilon finish; high grease holdout and high heat tolerance, bridging liner and baking paper.

Glassine

Highly calendered translucent paper; very smooth and grease-resistant, used more under pastries and doughnuts than in hot takeout.

Quilon-Treated

Chrome-complex (chromium III stearate) coated, dominant from the mid-20th century; largely phased out for food contact over chromium concerns.

PFAS-Free Eco Liners

Modern replacement for fluorochemical-coated papers; relies on fiber density or silicone and is marketed to chains eliminating 'forever chemicals.'

Printed / Branded Liners

Same base paper with food-safe soy- or water-based ink for logos, menu items, or patterned presentation; check that inks are rated for the food's fat content and temperature.

Choosing the Right Liner for the Job

Match the coating to the food's fat and water content, not the box. Wax and silicone do the heavy lifting when oil is pooling; an untreated high-density kraft is enough for a hot, briefly oily item like a slice of pizza where the liner is in contact for only minutes.

Pizza, calzone, hot subs: untreated or lightly waxed greaseproof kraft sized to the box footprint.
Burgers, fried chicken, pressed sandwiches: dry-wax or silicone-coated sheets inside clamshells and foil wraps.
Fries, onion rings, fish, doughnuts: wet-wax or doubled-up dry-wax to handle pooled oil.
Oven-to-table or hot-hold use (chafer inserts, warming drawers): silicone-coated kraft rated for the actual service temperature, not the peak oven temperature.
Pastry and retail display: glassine or vegetable parchment where a smooth, non-absorbent surface matters more than heat resistance.

Common uses

Lining pizza delivery and takeout boxes so cheese grease does not soak through the cardboard.Cushioning burgers, fried chicken, and pressed sandwiches inside clamshells and foil wrappers.Wrapping fries, onion rings, and other fried sides in paper boats or cones.Lining bakery display trays, sheet pans, and proofing baskets.Placing under pastries, doughnuts, and cookies in retail cases to prevent grease transfer to shelves.Lining steam-table pans and chafer inserts as a sanitary, easy-clean barrier.Separating cheese slices, patties, or other portioned prep items in storage and during service.

Tips & pitfalls

Size the sheet to the box interior; oversized sheets crumple and look unprofessional, undersized sheets leave grease gaps at the corners.
For hot or fatty foods, specify PFAS-free liners from the supplier rather than assuming 'greaseproof' means eco-friendly; the older fluorochemical coatings perform better but carry persistent-chemical concerns.
Do not microwave wax-coated liners; the wax softens and migrates into the food. Reach for silicone-coated or plain kraft if the package will be warmed.
If the food sheds free oil, choose wet-wax or two layers of dry-wax rather than a single sheet of untreated kraft, which will darken and eventually wet through.
Confirm the liner's rated temperature with the supplier before any hot-hold use; uncoated kraft scorches above roughly 200°C / 400°F.
Pre-cut perforated rolls speed service at high-volume counters compared with loose sheets that have to be peeled and squared up.
Store flat in a dry stack; humidity curls the sheets and makes them nearly impossible to lay cleanly inside a box.
Compost plain and silicone-coated liners only in industrial facilities, and never put PFAS- or Quilon-coated paper into a compost stream.

Good to know

Category: Foodservice paper liner / wrapping
Material: High-density kraft pulp, sometimes treated with wax, silicone, or (historically) chrome-complex coatings; modern eco versions are typically untreated or silicone-coated
Typical basis weight: 30–60 gsm; 35–45 gsm is most common for fast-food box liners
Heat resistance: Plain kraft tolerates brief contact up to ~200°C / 400°F; silicone-coated grades reach roughly 220°C / 425°F; wax coatings soften well below that
Food-contact status: Must comply with FDA 21 CFR (US) or EU Regulation 1935/2004 for food-contact materials
Common sizes: Sheets 10×10, 12×12, 16×16, and 18×18 in (25–45 cm); pre-cut sandwich sheets ~6×6 and 8×8 in; pizza box sheets cut to box footprint
Forms sold: Flat precut sheets, perforated rolls, and fan-folded counter stacks
Compostability: Untreated and silicone-coated kraft are industrially compostable; PFAS- and Quilon-coated papers are not
Single-use: Designed for one service; not intended for washing or reuse