FibreForm

FibreForm Shaped Paper Pods / Source: Billerud

AsiaBeautyEuropeFibreFormFlexibleFood & BeverageFood GradeFreezer SafeLeak ProofMicrowave SafeNorth AmericaOven SafePackagingPaperRecyclableSealableStrong

WHAT WE SAY:

Thermoformed plastic packaging is omnipresent on every shelf globally. The process of applying heat to reshape plastics such as PET and HDPE into everything from shampoo bottles to food containers has become so ubiquitous we’ve stopped asking if another way is possible.

Luckily, Billerud kept asking, and its FibreForm, paper-based packaging offers an almost like-for-like swap. A strong, flexible and both cold-formable and thermoformable material, it’s engineered to be moulded into a variety of shapes for the food industry. What’s more, it can be embossed at such depth that the resulting design is one of pleasing tactility – enhancing the consumer experience both visually and haptically. Next up, the future development of water and greaseproof liners that are truly plastic-free. Then the game will really be changed.

FibreForm

WHAT IS FIBREFORM?

FibreForm is a 3D, cold-formable Paper material from Billerud that can be pressed, bent, stretched and embossed for creative replacements for plastic packaging. Made from primary fibres sourced from sustainably managed forests across Scandinavia, the material is designed to replace single-use plastics in the food and beverage industries.
The material has been designed to have increased flexibility – up 20% compared with normal paper. This allows it to be thermoformed and used as a replacement for specially shaped plastic packs.
FSC and PEFC-certified, made from renewable feedstocks and 100% recyclable in the paper waste stream, FibreForm can be embossed up to ten times deeper than regular paper.
This deep embossing traps air, acting as thermal insulation against heat and cold. This makes it an ideal replacement for coffee cup sleeves – which the brand supplies in both brown and white. The insulation created protects a user’s hands from the heat.
Other core applications of FibreForm include as a replacement for plastic carrier bags. A paper carrier bag made with FibreForm is said to be reusable up to 50 times, and is able to carry up to 21 kilograms of weight without tearing. The material can also be formed into stand-up pouches, blister packs and food-safe paper trays for thinly sliced meats, cheese and breads. Using a FibreForm tray can replace plastic use by up to 90% in this format.
FibreForm can also be used to make the brand’s Shaped Paper Pods. Created in collaboration with Syntegon Technology machinery, the pods are right-sized, customised packaging solutions for product samples, refills, portion packs and disposable packaging – suitable for both the food and cosmetic markets. A Shaped Paper Pod concept solution called Pearl won the Plastic Free Dieline Award in 2020.
The material is available as board too, which is laminated and distributed by Kapag. The board can be embossed more than three times its depth for a highly textural, 3D finish. The material can run in typical carton operations for printing, die-cutting, folding and glueing, and is available both coated and uncoated. It’s ideally suited to protect against counterfeiting.
FibreForm can be decorated with high impact print graphics and foil stamping, and applied with customised barriers and coatings.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Flexible
Food Grade
Freezer Safe
Leak Proof
Microwave Safe
Oven Safe
Recyclable
Sealable
Strong

INDUSTRY:

Beauty
Food & Beverage
Packaging

AVAILABILITY:

Mass Market

DIVE DEEPER:

Billerud’s core business model looks to use fibre-based products to replace materials with a higher climate footprint such as plastic. FibreForm does this by replacing typically flexible and hard-to-recycle plastic packaging with high-performing paper – paper that offers consumers a more memorable, tactile and interactive experience in use.
According to a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) performed by the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), FibreForm paper trays can have up to a 71% less global warming impact compared to plastic trays. This is predominantly due to the fact that the paper can be recycled easily in most European countries at the end of its life, while FibreForm laminate requires less energy in production than plastic.
According to the LCA, which compared FibreForm trays with conventional EPS (extruded polystyrene) trays and APET/PE laminated trays, the paper-based trays offer a 62% reduction in global warming potential when compared to the former, and a 71% reduction in comparison to the latter. This is determined based on the consumption and disposal of 1,000 trays. The LCA is said to have analysed all stages of the product life cycle, from raw material production to landfill or recycling. The study was peer-reviewed by Intertek.
FibreForm’s durability and strength also contributes to its reduced impact. Rather than tearing after a handful of uses, the fibre is reusable time and time again, meaning a single-use pack can be kept in circulation for longer. This is particularly relevant with regards to the company’s paper carrier bag.
The material can be easily adopted by food processors, brands and retailers as it can be formed in existing thermoforming lines and press forming equipment, making it an economical switch due to the lack of new machinery required.
FibreForm is approved for direct food contact and for use in microwaves and ovens according to BfR 36.2.
Due to increased demand for sustainable packaging solutions, the company added unbleached brown paper versions of its reusable carrier bags, paper cup sleeves and paper plates in 2022.

Example of deep embossing with FibreForm / Source: Billerud

Pearl packaging concept / Source: Billerud

KEY FACTS:

71%

FibreForm paper trays can have up to a 71% less global warming impact compared to plastic trays

50x

A paper carrier bag made with FibreForm is said to be reusable up to 50 times

21kg

A FibreForm paper carrier bag is able to carry up to 21 kilograms of weight without tearing

Key Questions to Ask:

How valid is the LCA?

Not all LCAs are created equal. Dig into the LCA to see who sourced the data, how old it is, and what methodology was used to come to the above conclusion. If Billerud paid for the study and supplied the data, caution should be used when taking it as gospel. The LCA also only compares FibreForm to plastic. While this makes sense for the brand, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a more superior plastic-free material on the market.

Can you pair plastic-free trays with plastic-free wraps?

While Billerud provides thermoformed paper food trays, it doesn’t supply a plastic-free flexible wrap material to complete the pack. Look to solutions such as Sylvicta, a translucent barrier paper made from 100% wood fibres that can be used to protect food as effectively as plastic. What’s more, it doesn’t break down into harmful chemicals at the end of its life.

Are the end-of-life claims realistic?

FibreForm is fully recyclable in the paper waste stream – a long-standing recycling stream that is present across the world. The company also claims, however, that the material is both biodegradable and compostable. These claims aren’t backed by certifications, and the assumption is that the terms are used due to the basic biodegradability of paper. Be aware that this will differ depending on whether the packaging ends up in landfill, the environment or the oceans.