Tanbark Molded Fiber

Moulded fibre packaging / Source: Tanbark

BeautyFlexibleFood & BeverageFood GradeHardwoodHempLightweightMiscanthusMoulded FibreNorth AmericaPackagingPaperRecyclableTanbark Molded Fiber

WHAT WE SAY:

The search for plastic packaging alternatives is moving at a rapid pace, with everything from algae to mushrooms being touted as a potential material of the future. But rather than looking forward, some brands are reimagining materials from a time before plastic.

Tanbark Molded Fiber is a packaging solution that transforms plant fibres into sleek moulded fibre products. The startup is distinctly positioned to facilitate smaller production runs, thanks to an innovative machine built by its co-founder, and can scale to large production runs as well. Filling this market gap is a feat in itself, but Tanbark's plant agnostic machinery offers massive potential, from branching out into tree-free fibre moulding to conducting green chemistry experiments. So if you've got an idea you're keen to test, look no further.

Tanbark

WHAT IS TANBARK MOLDED FIBER?

Tanbark Molded Fiber is an alternative to single-use plastic and Styrofoam packaging.
The company - Tanbark - specialises in Type 3 moulded fibre, which involves drying the pulp in heated moulds to shape it into a variety of forms.
Tanbark sources virgin Wood fibres from sustainably-harvested Maine forests for its pulp, as these fibres have the longest strands. According to the startup's co-founder and CEO, Melissa LaCasse, "if we're going to innovate with what we can do with Type 3 moulded fibre from a design standpoint, we want to use fibre that's going to be able to hold up". However, Tanbark's plant agnostic machines can process alternative feedstocks like Hemp and Miscanthus.
The process begins by passing the raw material through a pulping system to create a 'slurry', running it through a series of water tanks to dilute the mixture until it becomes a cloudy solution known as 'white water'. This method breaks the fibres down into individual strands. The slurry is then vacuumed into a former head, catching the fibres in the mould and allowing the water to pass through. Using heat and pressure, the products are processed through a sequence of machines to achieve a "super refined finish".
Tanbark Molded Fiber does not require any chemical additives, but LaCasse says that the packaging's final composition will depend on the client's specification. "We don't have one recipe," she states, so if a water barrier is required, Tanbark can apply recipes to enhance the material's functional performance.
Customisation options include colour, shape, thickness, density, texture, embossing, and printing (although this comes at an additional cost). It can produce structures up to six inches tall.
Tanbark Molded Fiber is recyclable in the Paper waste stream and home compostable, although compostability timeframes will depend on the packaging's thickness and density. LaCasse confirmed that "certifications are in the pipeline", and the company will report on its compostability timeline in the latter half of 2023.
Tanbark Molded Fiber is an ideal solution for secondary protective packaging and primary packaging for electronics and medical devices, as well as liquid-free products such as dried food, powdered makeup, and waterless cosmetics. It is also suitable as takeaway food packaging.
The company will begin commercial production in July 2023, welcoming order enquiries from international brands with no minimum or maximum order quantities. Since it is a bespoke packaging solution, costs and lead times will depend on the project size and specification.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Flexible
Food Grade
Lightweight
Recyclable

INDUSTRY:

Beauty
Food & Beverage
Packaging

AVAILABILITY:

Commercially Available

DIVE DEEPER:

In 2023, a Minderoo Foundation report found that a record 139 million tonnes of single-use plastic waste was generated worldwide in 2021, a six million tonne increase since 2019. With only 9% of this waste reaching a recycling facility, the majority ends up in landfill, taking over 400 years to degrade. Regardless of whether it is recycled, incinerated, or sent to landfill, plastic remains a toxic material that is having a devastating impact on human health, wildlife, and the environment.
Incoming policy restrictions, plastic taxes, and growing awareness of potential harms are making plastic products increasingly unpopular, contributing to a surge in demand for alternative solutions. Moulded fibre products offer a biodegradable and widely recyclable solution for industrial, disposable, and food-related packaging, and the global moulded fibre market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 7.2% between 2023 and 2028.
Tanbark specialises in Type 3 moulded fibre products, otherwise known as thermoformed fibre or 'thin-wall'. It is designed to be a drop-in alternative to thermoformed plastic packaging, while offering the same accessibility in terms of lower tooling costs for small-batch order volumes.
The company requires a clean feedstock to serve the food and medical industries, so recycled fibre is not feasible as it is usually contaminated with inks, dyes, chemicals, and metals. LaCasse added that "with the demise of the newsprint industry, recycled material is hard to get".
Tanbark sources its FSC-certified pulp from sustainably-harvested forests in Maine. The northern forests are harvested by "cutting the 'low-value' trees so that sawmill trees can grow more quickly", providing a market for those trees. If it can't get its fibre in Maine, the company looks to Canadian suppliers, the next closest source. Well-managed forests, like those in Maine, can often capture as much if not more carbon over time as a natural forest.
Although Tanbark is initially working with wood fibres, "we're going to have to find other sources because if we're going to replace plastic, we'll run out of trees" - so diversifying its fibre feedstock is a priority.
By creating a slurry, Tanbark breaks down the lignin, or "natural glue", that holds the tree fibres together. Once white water is made, "we recreate that hydrogen bond, but we're doing it in a shape using heat, pressure, and water", explains LaCasse.
Tanbark runs a closed-loop water system, recovering all the water used and recycling it in the next production line. But the manufacturing process is energy intensive, so the company is exploring machines that can operate more efficiently, as well as installing renewable energy sources on site, including a solar roof and a battery energy storage system.
Tanbark is keen to explore plastic-free and chemical-free additives that can be combined with the pulp internally or applied as a coating to enhance the packaging's functionality. Potential sources include Seaweed and natural wax. Currently, it uses a waxy, non-toxic, biodegradable chemical called alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) for hydrophobicity, sourced from Solenis, a speciality chemical company. It is in the process of sourcing a range of compostable dyes. LaCasse says that any additives used will not compromise the material's compostability as per BPI standards.
It takes at least one month to create the bespoke tools for each client, so Tanbark's offering is not an 'off-the-shelf' solution, but a custom-made option. Once tooling is complete, lead times are relatively short - a few weeks - although this will depend on the order size and packaging requirements.
Tanbark is working with a number of clients, replacing one item's plastic packaging with moulded fibre for a US supermarket chain. The switch is projected to save around 250,000 pounds of plastic waste generated every year by the supermarket's New England stores alone. Tanbark is also working with seafood business Luke's Lobster to supply its takeaway packaging.

The former head / Source: Tanbark

A series of water tanks / Source: Tanbark

KEY FACTS:

139 mn tns

of single-use plastic waste was generated worldwide in 2021

250,000 lbs

A US supermarket's switch to Tanbark Molded Fiber packaging for one item is projected to save 250,000 pounds of plastic waste from its New England stores every year

7.2%

The global moulded fibre market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 7.2% between 2023 and 2028

Key Questions to Ask:

What performance capabilities do you require?

Recyclable and compostable materials can fall short when plastic-based coatings and liners are applied to them. If you require a barrier lining, be sure to check its composition, and work with your supplier to source the best available option to minimise your product's impact on the environment. Compostable, plastic-free coatings are the achilles heel for most packaging companies, but alternatives are emerging in the form of Notpla's seaweed coating and MelOx, an oxygen and grease barrier made from Cellulose nanocrystals. Although Tanbark is in the early commercialisation stage, its forward-thinking approach means it's already exploring how to accommodate liquid products and items that require shelf stability, such as medicines and creams. Taking a proactive attitude towards the supplier you choose to work with could place you on the frontline of a new innovation in packaging.

Can you reimagine your product formula?

LaCasse is clear that "people should use reusable whenever possible", opting for infinitely recyclable materials like Glass and Aluminium. To do this, it's vital that the packaging format is considered at the product development stage to design plastic out. Players in the food and beauty industries are working towards this gold standard by rejigging their product formulas, contributing to the growing waterless design movement. JOI's plant milk concentrates and ReMI Skincare's solid moisturising stones are inspiring case studies that demonstrate how everyday items can be redesigned in a way that eliminates the need for packaging barrier properties, and makes them fit for reusable and refillable solutions.

Have you got an idea you're keen to test out?

If you're looking to explore the possibility of a tree-free fibre for moulded pulp packaging, Tanbark has the machinery to test next-gen propositions and is keen to collaborate. It is in the process of introducing a "mini system" that can produce micro-volume orders, and accommodates green chemistry experiments and alternative pulp material "like a lab machine". Likewise, if there's a raw material you want to play with that is local to you, Tanbark's compact machine can be installed on site so that the pulp doesn't have to be shipped to Maine for testing. The company doesn't claim to have all the answers, but we champion its honesty and determination to find them.