The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is establishing harmonised packaging requirements across the European Union, accelerating the transition towards recyclable and more sustainable packaging solutions. In this evolving regulatory landscape, fibre-based innovation is becoming increasingly important in enabling scalable alternatives to conventional plastic packaging.
Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, will showcase its innovative Muoto™ technology at Interpack 2026 (Hall 8a / Stand D49), demonstrating how advanced fibre-based materials can support new packaging concepts designed to meet demanding performance and sustainability requirements.
Expanding Fibre into New Packaging Applications
Muoto is a three-dimensional moulded fibre technology produced directly from wet wood pulp without intermediate converting steps. This process enables the creation of lightweight yet rigid packaging structures while offering significant design flexibility for complex shapes and formats.
The material combines strength, rigidity and low weight, making it particularly suitable for demanding foodservice and food packaging applications. Muoto is also engineered to support grease and moisture resistance while meeting food-contact requirements across a wide variety of food applications.
Complementing Paperboard with Advanced Fibre Capabilities
For applications requiring enhanced barrier performance, Muoto’s renewable moulded wood fibre structures can be combined with barrier films, enabling solutions for packaging formats such as meat, fish, poultry and ready meals.
When integrated with paperboard components — including branded sleeves and corrugated shelf-ready packaging — Muoto enables comprehensive fibre-based packaging solutions that enhance branding, shelf visibility and functional performance.
“Muoto is advancing fibre-based materials into more demanding applications. The current portfolio focuses on foodservice and selected industrial food packaging, and together with premium paperboard components it enables future fibre-based concepts across a wide range of end uses,” said Antti Valtonen, VP Muoto Projects at Metsä Spring, Metsä Group’s innovation company.
“We are now inviting customers to test Muoto Uncoated and Laminated Fibre solutions, including takeaway packaging, punnets and trays,” Valtonen added.
Piloting and Co-Developing Future Packaging Concepts
Muoto is currently in a demonstration and pre-commercial sales phase, during which customer and partner feedback is helping refine material performance, manufacturability and end-use suitability. Metsä Board is actively collaborating with brand owners and converters to explore future fibre-based packaging formats and applications.
“With Muoto, we are studying new concepts to support brand owners in creating future-ready packaging solutions,” said Erja Hyrsky, SVP Commercial Operations at Metsä Board.
“By combining moulded fibre with paperboard, Muoto can become an integral component of our packaging solutions — particularly in premium and demanding applications where performance, branding and recyclability are all critical. At the same time, it helps customers prepare for increasingly stringent packaging regulations,” Hyrsky concluded.
As sustainability regulations continue to reshape the packaging industry, innovations such as Muoto highlight the growing role of fibre-based materials in enabling recyclable, high-performance packaging solutions for the future.