Fiberdom has completed reel-to-reel pilot trials of its plastic-free Duranova® material at the development center of Vits Technology GmbH in Germany.
The trials confirm that the wood-fiber-based material can be processed in a continuous industrial format, a key requirement for packaging converters evaluating scalable alternatives to plastic.
Continuous Processing Validation
At VITS’s pilot facility, Fiberdom tested multiple paper grades and production parameters. The focus was on process stability, runnability and repeatability rather than final product optimization.
The results demonstrated that Duranova® can operate on industrial pilot machinery in a reel-to-reel format compatible with large-scale development and verification workflows. For thermoformable packaging producers, proving compatibility with continuous production lines is a key step toward commercialization.
“A key challenge for new materials is finding the best machine setup and corresponding process parameter for demonstrating reliable processing in continuous industrial operations,” said Arne Weber, Head of Laboratory at VITS. “Running Fiberdom’s material successfully on our reel-to-reel pilot line shows that it can be integrated into the same development and scale-up environment used for established paper-based substrates.”
Preparing for Regulatory and Market Shifts
The milestone comes as packaging manufacturers prepare for the proposed EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which aims to significantly reduce plastic packaging and short service-life products across EU member states.
For Fiberdom, demonstrating industrial process compatibility strengthens the case for plastic-free fiber materials in applications where performance, scalability and regulatory compliance must align.
“For the packaging industry, plastic-free materials have often meant compromises between performance and scalability,” said Duncan Mayes, Chief Technology Officer at Fiberdom. “Demonstrating that a plastic-free fiber material can run in standard reel-to-reel production environments broadens what is realistically possible at industrial scale.”
Duranova® is already in commercial use in Finland for home-compostable single-use cutlery. With these trials, Fiberdom continues to evaluate additional production pathways as it targets broader packaging and durable product applications.
Fiberdom, founded in 2019 and headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, develops plastic-free materials made from FSC-certified wood fibers. Its Duranova® material is designed to be strong, formable, recyclable and home-compostable. The company operates a commercial pilot facility in Finland and has raised €3.5 million in funding, backed by industry-focused investors including Heino Group, Nordic Foodtech VC and Holdix.
Source: Fiberdom
