As the world turns off to single-use plastics, innovative partnerships between Israeli clean-tech company W-Cycle and Brazilian forestry giant Melhoramentos are leading the charge in sustainable packaging. But closer to home, New Zealand’s Kinleith Mill closure raises a provocative question - could such facilities be repurposed to produce eco-friendly packaging instead of shutting down?
W-Cycle, creators of the patented SupraPulp material, and Melhoramentos, a cellulose-fibre powerhouse, have joined forces to develop high-performance compostable food containers. Made from renewable materials such as sugarcane waste and eucalyptus wood fibres, these next-generation packaging solutions naturally decompose within 100 days—an answer to the millions of tonnes of plastic clogging landfills and oceans every year.
Source: Melhoramentos Cellulose Fibre food packaging
This partnership, valued at USD 3.45 million, highlights how traditional materials can be reimagined. Melhoramentos will use its extensive forestry resources to produce the advanced biodegradable packaging, leveraging W-Cycle’s expertise in molded fibre production and sustainable materials.
“The demand for sustainable alternatives is growing fast,” says Rafael Gibini, CEO of Melhoramentos. “This collaboration is a step towards phasing out single-use plastics and paving the way for a greener future.”
W-Cycle’s SupraPulp is a marvel in clean-tech innovation. Designed to handle everything from frozen to oven-ready foods, these compostable containers are grease-resistant, moisture-proof, and durable in extreme temperatures. Unlike conventional packaging, they don’t need plastic coatings for barriers and can safely decompose back into the earth within 100 days.
“Plastic can take centuries to break down,” says W-Cycle CEO Isaac Rome. “SupraPulp is designed to solve that problem, it’s nature’s answer to sustainable food packaging.”
SupraPulp containers are already being adopted by food producers and caterers worldwide. As the collaboration with Melhoramentos ramps up, the potential to scale this green solution globally is undeniable.
Source: Melhoramentos Cellulose Fibre food packaging
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s pulp and paper operation at Kinleith is set to cease paper production next year, with 230 jobs on the line. Industry insiders are asking: could this facility, instead of closing its doors, be re-purposed to produce eco-friendly materials like those developed by W-Cycle and Melhoramentos?
Transitioning the mill to produce sustainable packaging wouldn’t just save jobs, it could place New Zealand at the forefront of the green packaging movement. Such a shift would require investment in new technology and retraining staff, but the global market for compostable packaging is growing exponentially, driven by demand for alternatives to single-use plastics.
Kinleith Mill’s closure is a stark reminder industries must adapt or risk obsolescence. The success of W-Cycle and Melhoramentos proves traditional industries can thrive by embracing sustainability. Could New Zealand follow suit, transforming its struggling mills into hubs of eco-friendly innovation?
The question remains - will businesses and policymakers take this opportunity to reinvent, or will they let it slip through their fingers? With global plastic pollution reaching critical levels, the time for bold, green action is now.
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