Tissue that feels like it shouldn't exist - Introducing Valmet Advantage NTTe

Just like a dancer combines softness and strength in a single effortless movement, the most remarkable tissue products bring together qualities that are rarely found in one sheet. Soft, yet strong. Delicate, yet durable. Distinctive, yet highly functional. This idea inspired the striking image of a dancer dressed in tissue. But And it also reflects the ambition behind Valmet's Advantage™ NTTe.

An evolution that creates new possibilities 

The evolution of Valmet's Advantage NTT concept is designed to create products consumers can immediately feel are different. Because what if softness, strength, structure and visual appeal no longer had to be a compromise? For tissue producers, these questions are becoming increasingly relevant. As competition intensifies and consumers become more discerning, differentiation is more important than ever. While many products compete with similar performance attributes, Advantage NTTe creates opportunities to introduce something genuinely new to the market.  

Several important developments have been introduced, including:

• The evolved Advantage™ ViscoNip® press
• An improved belt fabric loop design
• New NTTe belt patterns, 
• New NTTe belt materials

Together, these innovations enable production of tissue with a distinctive textured appearance, exceptional bulk and softness, improved runnability and strong overall performance. Tissue makers can achieve quality comparable to ultra-premium products while reducing fiber consumption and lowering energy use.

All technologies were developed and tested at Valmet’s Technology and Pilot Center in Karlstad, Sweden, with converting trials carried out at Valmet’s facilities in Lucca, Italy, to ensure reliable performance from tissue making through to converting. 

Chevron and Droplet. Two ways to differentiate 

To showcase the flexibility of the technology, Valmet developed two distinctive NTTe patterns: Chevron and Droplet. Both are produced using the same underlying technology platform but create different visual and tactile experiences. The Chevron pattern delivers a bold, textile-inspired appearance that creates a strong visual identity while contributing to a unique handfeel. It maintains the softness, bulk and strength consumers expect from premium tissue while helping brands stand out on the shelf. The Droplet pattern offers a softer and more organic expression. Inspired by natural forms, it combines elegance with tactile appeal and delivers exceptional perceived bulk and softness. For producers targeting premium and ultra-premium segments, Droplet provides a refined sensory experience that immediately communicates quality. Together, they demonstrate how tissue producers can tailor products to different brand positions and consumer preferences while utilizing the same technology platform. 

For producers, this opens several strategic opportunities. In North America, it creates a pathway into the growing ultra-premium segment without the capital intensity associated with alternative technologies. In markets where conventional grades still dominate, it provides a way to differentiate products through both appearance and consumer experience. 

The Advantage NTTe Droplet pattern delivers a unique tissue experience consumers can recognize from the very first touch

Translating technical performance into consumer-perceived value  

A premium product is not only about measured properties. Consumers must be able to perceive the difference. This thinking has been central to the development of Advantage NTTe. "The goal was to translate technical performance into consumer-perceived value”, says Danilo Marcos, Concept Manager at Valmet.  

Beyond softness, bulk and strength, the objective has been to create a product that communicates quality through appearance, touch and overall experience".

Customer evaluations support that ambition. During hands-on assessments, participants compared different tissue concepts based on softness, strength, appearance and perceived quality. The Droplet pattern consistently emerged as the preferred concept, receiving the highest overall ratings across the customer groups. When the results were combined, it ranked first in nine out of ten evaluated categories, particularly excelling in visual appearance, perceived quality and bulk perception. The findings showed that the benefits of NTTe are not only measurable, but immediately recognizable through touch, appearance and overall product experience. 

The findings reinforce an important point: innovation in tissue making is not only about improving performance data. It is about creating products that consumers can immediately recognize as different, whether through their appearance, texture or overall quality perception. 

 
The Chevron pattern brings a unique texture and fabric-like appearance that sets products apart 

A new reference point for premium tissue 

Marcos continues, "By enabling tissue producers to create products with a unique look, feel and quality perception, the technology supports stronger premium positioning and new opportunities for brand differentiation. It gives producers the ability to create products that stand out on shelves, in consumers' hands and in increasingly competitive markets”. 

Premium tissue has traditionally been defined by a balance of softness, strength and bulk. Advantage NTTe adds another dimension: distinctiveness".

Advantage NTTe is not simply an improvement in tissue making. It is an evolution of the Advantage NTT concept, introducing new capabilities that help tissue producers create differentiated premium products while benefiting from improved runnability, greater efficiency, easier maintenance and stronger overall mill performance. 

The dancer may capture attention, but the real story is what she represents: the possibility of creating a tissue product that challenges expectations and offers consumers an experience unlike anything they have encountered before.