Germany-based Zelfo Technology and Upgrading have jointly produced an up-cycled wheat straw-based packaging solution for the food industry.
Made from lingo-cellulosic fibre, the new micro and nano-fibrillated cellulose (M/NFC) packaging material does not require additional binder.
The new packaging requires only residue or waste fibres available at food source, so it eliminates the need for new or recycled standard cellulose sources.
This enables the food source producer to supply raw material for their packaging, reducing production and logistics costs.
The companies claim that packaging products can be created using a mixture of up-cycled plant-based M/NFC with new cellulose or de-fibred waste material.
Though the trial packaging products have been developed by converting wheat straw any fibre-based crop residue or waste sources can be converted to packaging using the Zelfo/Upgrading system.
Upgrading managing director Eduardo Gordillo said: "Having been in packaging and product promotion for several years now, I feel that our business has taken an intelligent leap of faith into the world of sustainability with this product and processing system."
The companies have produced 250mm x 150mm x 50mm trial mouldings, which can be coloured using non-toxic dyes as required by the seller.
Zelfo Technology focuses on the development of engineered cellulose fibres for the advancement of sustainable manufacturing.
Upgrading offers packaging solutions to global manufactures and retailers.
Image: The companies have produced 250mm x 150mm x 50mm trial mouldings using wheat straw. Photo: courtesy of Zelfo Technology.
