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Ultra Board is a rigid substrate that has become 'a revelation' in the internal signage, print, design and display worlds, according to its manufacturer Dufaylite. The board features a trademark recycled paper honeycomb core, sandwiched between 450gsm white facing, which is sourced from FSC certified forests in the UK. It is totally sustainable, 100 percent recyclable through traditional routes and uses 86 percent less energy to produce – which Dufaylite says make it one of the greenest boards on the market.

Ultra Board is designed to offer high-quality print performance and superior cutting capability, and is therefore suitable for the work of many designers and visual merchandisers. Ultra Board allows for detailed bespoke designs as it is well suited to V-cutting, and will bend, fold and interlock, allowing structures to be 'brought to life'. The board's shelf strength and robustness also makes it a viable paper-based alternative for semi-permanent POS units. It's far stronger than corrugated cardboard, with only one sheet of material needed to take the weight of heavy-duty products such as drinks, while offering users the same sustainability, simple installation in-store and increased compliance rates.

The newly launched black or white 250gsm paper-based edging is the latest Ultra Board product development. The edging is available in 50m rolls in the same 6mm, 10mm and 18mm range as the board and comes with peel-off backing for easy self-application. While some users love to see the honeycomb centre and corrugated edge in their applications to highlight its recyclable components, others want a clean, sealed finish. In response to this, Dufaylite developed the edging to allow users to send a complete sealed board to one recycling route at the end of its life, whatever their preferred edge.

Ultra Board is aimed at meeting growing demand for sustainability in POS and display – a field where PVC has reigned for some time. Landfill tax has been a major driving force behind this – currently standing at £56 per tonne and due to rise by £8 per year until 2013 – as it means that recycling is and will continue to be more cost effective than landfill. Ultra Board saves users money at the end of its life, and costs less than many PVC products. Being ultra lightweight – 1kg/sq m – it also significantly cuts transport costs, reducing the carbon footprint at the same time.

BAF Graphics is an advocate of Ultra Board and has used the product extensively in visual merchandising for Selfridges, most recently in the stores' Project Ocean displays. Dan Chang, account director at BAF Graphics, comments: "Ultra Board represents the perfect substrate for particular window schemes. Not only because of its rigidity and structural properties, but also because of its visible card identity with a natural edge where the honeycomb centre can be seen. It also fits with the environmental policy which Selfridges adheres to."