We Love Finland
Dan Dvoracek
We are fans of Finland, not only for its cinnamon buns (yes, this delicacy does not originally come from Sweden), the legend of Santa Claus, whose headquarters are in Lapland, and saunas scented with pine oil, but the list does not end there…
Indeed, the Scandinavian countries, and Finland in particular, are ahead of the curve when it comes to sustainable development and innovation. In just a few years, Helsinki has become a hub for numerous start-ups working to develop smart products using innovative materials, with the aim of solving the current problems of overconsumption and pollution.
At Inovacomm, we particularly love these two projects:
SULAPAC
With typical Nordic discretion, a new material is beginning to make its mark in the packaging industry. Created in 2016 by Suvi Haimi and Laura Tirkkonen, both biochemists and materials experts, Sulapac is entirely biodegradable and presents itself as a real alternative to plastic.
But what is Sulapac? It is an environmentally friendly, 100% biodegradable, patented material made primarily from renewable raw materials: wood and plant-based binders. In order to create a virtuous circle, the company sources its raw materials from certified local manufacturers and farmers to produce the basic components used to make Sulapac. 1
Initially, Suvi and Lautra focused their research on finding an alternative to plastic packaging. But they quickly realized that their biodegradable material could also be used in other applications. This new sustainable material received numerous awards between 2017 and 2019. It offers the following advantages: it is bio-based and made from sustainable raw materials sourced responsibly, it can be digested by natural microorganisms, it has a low carbon footprint, and it is fully compostable according to the EN 13423 industry standard. Sulapac offers endless possibilities!
PAPTIC
Founded in Finland in 2015, Paptic is the result of a collaboration between the company’s co-founders: Esa Torniainen, Karita Kinnunen-Raudaskoski, and Tuomas Mustonen, a trio combining expertise in new technologies, packaging development, marketing, and sales. A winning combination! Their motivation? To tackle one of today’s biggest environmental challenges: the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. Every year, 1 trillion plastic bags are produced worldwide, and 89% of them will only be used once! 2
Paptic® is a unique, new-generation packaging material that is bio-based, recyclable, reusable, and fully biodegradable, made from renewable raw materials. Paptic® is also resource-efficient, with a reduced ecological footprint thanks to a manufacturing process that uses 20-30% less water and energy than conventional paper. 3 Made from renewable raw materials, Paptic® is composed of wood fibers from sustainably managed forests (FSC and PEFC certified). This material contains the highest quality wood fibers so that it can be recycled into a new packaging product. The fibers are fully biodegradable under industrial composting conditions according to EN 13432 and can be recycled with cardboard and paper. 4
What’s more, its technical performance, durability, and ease of folding make it ideal for reuse. Paptic® offers a wide range of possibilities in terms of shapes, sizes, thicknesses, and colors. With its soft, luxurious texture, this odorless material can be sewn or glued, allowing it to be used for much more than just shopping bags. Product packaging, accessories (pouches, bags, cases, etc.), lining material, medical equipment packaging, food packaging… these are just some of the sustainable development ideas made possible by the potential of Paptic®. 4
Finally, the most impressive thing is that no new infrastructure or machinery is needed to produce Paptic®. The material can be manufactured on existing paper processing lines. This significant factor avoids major additional investment and facilitates access to this new material and the shift towards sustainability that comes with it.
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Photos: Paptic (1, 3) + Sulapac (2) ©
