Fiberdom and Kiefel join forces to advance home compostable packaging

Fiberdom has partnered with Kiefel to accelerate the development and commercialization of fiber-based, fully recyclable, and home compostable foodservice packaging.

The collaboration combines Fiberdom’s Duranova material with Kiefel’s dry fiber forming technology, aiming to offer solutions manufactured through “streamlined, resource-efficient” processes.

Through the partnership, the companies aim to develop solutions that can be applied to dry forming technology, requiring high material strength and formability in 3D structures, as well as low weight and material efficiency, such as certified home compostable beverage cup lids, margarine container lids, and single-use cutlery.

Tomi Järvenpää, general manager at Fiberdom, says: “The partnership with Kiefel is a strong endorsement of our material technology and shows we’re ready to scale up with major partners taking on the critical sustainability challenges the packaging sector faces today.”

“Lots of products on the market talk about compostability, but many are only industrially compostable. They also usually have additives that inhibit recyclability. By adding our advanced materials to Kiefel’s manufacturing and molding expertise, we’re unlocking exciting potential for new fiber-based packaging applications that are simultaneously highly formable and truly sustainable, while remaining competitive and cost-effective.”

Meeting market and regulatory needs

Duranova is derived from FSC-certified pulp and paperboard. According to Fiberdom, the technology transforms these inputs into a durable, moldable, and plastic-free material. The company has already introduced Duranova through compostable single-use cutlery to retailers and wholesalers in Finland.

The partnership with Kiefel sets the stage for Duranova to expand its reach into new packaging formats and international markets. Several applications are already under testing at Kiefel’s laboratories, where developers are exploring opportunities to replace non-essential plastics with fiber-based alternatives.

By combining Duranova with Kiefel’s machinery and tooling technologies, the partners expect to achieve reductions in water consumption, enhanced energy efficiency, and cost-effective material use. The collaboration comes as the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation demands greater recyclability and reduced reliance on conventional plastics.

Sven Engelmann, vice president of technology at Kiefel, says: “Together with Fiberdom, we’re excited to expand our comprehensive technology portfolio by adding new capabilities that complement our existing solutions.”

“This strategic partnership allows us to offer market-ready dry forming solutions that support recyclability, compostability, and cost efficiency for applications where this technology excels, while maintaining our full spectrum of forming technologies to serve the complete range of packaging requirements without compromising performance.”

Kiefel has filed multiple patents covering process and tooling technologies that allow product forming with simple and roll-fed materials. It aims to broaden the choice of raw materials, creating new opportunities for sustainable packaging solutions.