Led by Jarmo Kouko, the group has created a machine that automates folding in ways that reinforce paperboard, allowing the biodegradable material to be used in delicate or complex packaging applications where previously on plastic bubble wrap could do the job. “The compressive strength is quite good,” Kouko told Fast Company.
Currently, the method costs more than using conventional packaging materials, but the team hopes to lower the cost and launch the alternative in three to five years.