Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre and LUT University have reported progress in fully cellulose-based films and coatings under the F3 – Films for Future bio-based materials project.
The work aims to reduce the use of plastic in packaging while maintaining processing and performance standards.
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The film products are biodegradable by design while the coating materials are intended either for recycling in fibre-based systems or for biodegradation where required.
Researchers said the approach allows cellulose to be handled as a polymer instead of a fibre.
This has led to transparent film materials with strength and barrier characteristics in line with those used in plastic packaging.
The work comes as rules such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) place more stringent demands on recyclability, material content and lifecycle effects.
According to the project team, the F3 platform is intended to work with existing converting equipment and to suit current recycling systems or biodegradation routes, depending on the end use.
The project said this removes a common compromise seen in many bio-based materials between technical performance and end-of-life treatment.
The programme is based on developments in cellulose dissolution and regeneration, which have made it possible to produce films with transparency, strength and barrier performance.
Compatibility with established processes, including thermoforming, has also been shown at this stage.
The platform may also be used in applications other than direct plastic substitution. These could include barrier coatings, antimicrobial or antioxidant features, and packaging that responds to humidity, gas composition or pH.
VTT research professor and one of the F3 project’s leading coordinators Ali Harlin said: “Plastic films are one of the most widely used packaging formats, yet they are among the most difficult to recycle and a major source of persistent environmental pollution.
“At the same time, we are working with manufacturers to help them meet evolving regulatory requirements while maintaining product protection, shelf life, and process efficiency. Cellulose materials open new sustainable solutions for packaging.”
The F3 project was completed in March 2026 and demonstrated pilot-scale production of cellulose-based films and coatings across several applications.
For films, the findings indicated potential for use as a transparent packaging material with built-in biodegradability.
The next stage will centre on scaling the technology for commercial use, with early applications identified in dry food packaging, bakery products and fibre-based packaging that needs transparent barrier layers.
For films, oxygen transmission rate was reported at below 1cc/m²/day at 23°C and 50% RH, which the project said is comparable with conventional plastics.
For coatings, oxygen transmission rate was below 0.2cc/m²/day while grease barrier performance reached KIT 12 in recyclable fibre-based packaging systems.
Further work will address barrier performance in humid conditions and the combination of several functions within one material system.
LUT University packaging technology professor and LUT’s sub-project leader Ville Leminen commented: “The cellulose films and coatings have already been demonstrated to have the properties to be processed in various package converting processes, which highlights their future potential.”
