Greenfibra Labs: Packaging solutions made from plant fibres
Greenfibra Labs: Packaging solutions made from plant fibres from Lake Tegernsee
The Greenfibra Lab, a spin-off of the Gmund paper manufacturer, has been researching alternative plant fibres for three years. Dr Katrin Kloth-Everding, the lab’s project manager, always has her hands full because branded companies and international corporations are strongly interested in environmentally friendly packaging.
“Ideas from our global customers, our own projects from Gmund Product Development and even enquiries from environmental research regularly cross my desk”, Kloth-Everding says. Many of the incoming commercial research orders are from the food and cosmetics industries, which often generate plant-based production waste or by-products that previously had to be disposed of at great expense, but could be ideal as raw materials for paper production. This is where the Greenfibra Lab comes into play. Our laboratory’s specialists test plant fibres for various properties. What impact do the examined fibres have on a paper’s strength, colour or drying behaviour? How do they influence the water cycle during paper production and the recyclability of the new paper?
Utilisation of a particular fibre for industrialised paper production is recommended only if all environmental aspects receive favourable assessments. Gmund does not accept research contracts for fibres that are not plant-based, e.g. leather scraps or other fibres of animal origin such as wool or silk, because these disrupt the recycling cycle. The goals of materials research at the Greenfibra Lab are to maximise the utilisation of alternative plant fibres while simultaneously upholding optimal quality for the intended use of the paper and minimising its environmental impact.
““The sustainable paths that we enable through our research into new types of fibres are very diverse”, Kloth-Everding explains. “For example, we are testing tea leaves that can no longer be sold, reeds harvested from unused agricultural land and plant-based raw materials from other industries.””
After the laboratory has overcome the initial challenges and completed its chemical analyses of the fibres, tests are conducted on a paper machine. As part of the Gmund Paper Mill, the Greenfibra Lab benefits in particular from the flexibility of Gmund’s production facilities. “Quickly adjusting processes and utilising different material conditions gives us the freedom to continually create new, interesting and customised papers”, Kloth-Everding proudly explains.
Every project is different and each material is intensively tested to find the optimal mixture and processing method. Dr Kloth-Everding sees enormous potential for paper production in the use of alternative and fast-growing plant fibres: “Who wouldn’t want to recycle their waste? If their raw materials can also be used to create distinctive packaging or a catalogue with added value, it’s a special bonus for the environment – and for our customer’s brand.”
Gmund Papier also benefits from the Greenfibra Lab. Thanks to the additional research expertise at the site, Gmund can create paper collections that often expand the technical limitations of previously known possibilities.