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https://www.aalto.fi/en/news/new-origami-packaging-technology-creates-sustainable-and-eye-catching-alternatives-to-conventional>
'Origami packaging enables completely new properties for cartonboard, making it
an excellent alternative to, for example, plastic and expanded polystyrene in
packaging. The aesthetics of the material have also garnered interest from
designers.
Involving 13 different companies, organisations, and universities at various
stages, the FOLD and FOLD2 projects are keystones in a quest to renew and
expand how cardboard is used as a packaging material. The two-phase project
began with designing a machine to fold the origami cardboard, with the next
phase of the project set to begin testing other materials. The outcome has been
a resounding success, leading to new applications of cardboard to manufacture
packaging material that is flexible, durable, versatile, and sustainable.
"The technology of FOLD is completely unique in the world. Origami folding
transforms cardboard into a flexible, protective, and visually appealing
material unlike anything that’s previously been available for industry-wide
production. The technology we’ve developed also has the capacity to produce
foldable materials from recycled goods," notes Jarmo Kouko, creator of the FOLD
project and Research Team Leader at VTT.
The solution mechanically replicates the hand-folding process, adding the
benefit of consistent precision and quality that would be difficult to achieve
by hand. Since the technology can be applied to a range of commercially
available paperboard grades, it requires no changes in the materials used.
The market for packaging materials continues to expand with the dominance of
e-commerce. However, there is also rising concern over the carbon footprint of
packaging as well as the composition of materials. For example, global
sustainability issues like the potential environmental impact of microplastic
pollution mean that demand for new, sustainable packaging solutions continues
to rise.'
Via Esther Schindler.
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
