CleanFiber
CleanFiber manufactures carbon-negative cellulose building insulation from recycled corrugated cardboard using a patented wet separation and infusion process, selling directly to professional insulation installers for residential and commercial construction across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersBuffalo, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CleanFiber does
CleanFiber Inc. (formerly Ultracell Insulation) is a U.S.-based private manufacturer of high-performance cellulose building insulation produced from recycled corrugated cardboard. Its single core product — CleanFiber® Cellulose Insulation — is manufactured through a patented wet separation and infusion process that floats off contaminants and infuses all-borate liquid fire retardant directly into fiber walls, yielding a lower-dust, lower-contamination product than conventional newsprint-based cellulose insulation. The product is certified to ASTM C739 (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reference) and is positioned as carbon-negative, with the company's primary feedstock sourced from recycled e-commerce cardboard (notably Amazon shipments). This input structure is presented as a structural cost and supply-stability advantage versus newsprint-based competitors facing dwindling paper supply.
The company operates a single commercial-scale production facility in Buffalo, New York (with planned additional facilities in Lewis County, Washington and Ellis County, Texas), and the Buffalo site is ramping to a stated 3 million bags per year of annual capacity. CleanFiber sells exclusively through a direct sales motion, with regional sales managers covering the Northeast, North Central, and Central Atlantic U.S. territories and engaging professional insulation installers and contractors. Customer segments are residential and commercial new-construction and retrofit applications for attics, walls, and floors. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly listed, positioned as competitive with blended-retardant conventional cellulose, and supported by a long-term pricing-lock-in program. Cumulatively, CleanFiber has raised over $100M across equity rounds, project financing, grants (including a $20M DOE MESC grant in October 2024), and a $10M Section 48C tax credit allocation, with Spring Lane Capital as lead Series B investor. Headcount stood at 45+ at the Buffalo facility as of 2021 and has been supplemented in 2025 by a new CEO (Sami Rahman, ex-James Hardie / ICP Group) and CFO (Erik Gregory).
CleanFiber firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CleanFiber
- Legal name
- CleanFiber Inc.
- Website
- https://cleanfiber.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CleanFiber manufactures carbon-negative cellulose building insulation from recycled corrugated cardboard using a patented wet separation and infusion process, selling directly to professional insulation installers for residential and commercial construction across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CleanFiber industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Building Insulation Materials
- NAICS
- Mineral Wool Manufacturing (327993)
- SIC
- Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cellulose (Recycled Fiber) Insulation (IMADAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Blown-In/Loose-Fill Insulation Systems (IMADAGAK)
Keywords
Where CleanFiber is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Buffalo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
CleanFiber business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Cellulose Insulation Product Sales: CleanFiber generates revenue through the sale of cellulose insulation bags to installers and contractors. The company sells its product directly through its sales team with regional coverage across the US. Pricing is competitive with traditional cellulose products and the company offers long-term pricing lock-in options for customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard competitive pricing for premium insulation product |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
CleanFiber product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CleanFiber manufactures and sells CleanFiber® Cellulose Insulation, a next-generation building insulation made from recycled corrugated cardboard using a proprietary wet separation and infusion process that infuses all-borate liquid fire retardant directly into fiber walls. The product is sold in bags to professional insulation installers and contractors for use in attics, walls, and floors of residential and commercial new construction and retrofit projects.
Product overview
CleanFiber offers a single core product: CleanFiber® Cellulose Insulation, a next-generation building insulation made from recycled cardboard boxes. The company uses a proprietary wet manufacturing process to produce carbon-negative insulation with superior purity, low dust, and all-borate fire retardant infusion. The product is sold primarily to professional insulation installers for use in attics, walls, and floors of residential and commercial buildings. The company operates a manufacturing facility in Buffalo, NY, with plans to expand nationally.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CleanFiber® Cellulose Insulation Next-generation cellulose insulation made from recycled corrugated cardboard boxes via a proprietary wet separation and infusion process, with all-borate liquid fire retardant infused directly into fiber walls. Delivered in bags to professional insulation installers and contractors for use in attics, walls, and floors of residential and commercial new construction and retrofit projects; ASTM C739 certified.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5,684% three-year growth rate representing nearly 57-fold growth
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CleanFiber
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CleanFiber technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CleanFiber partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered major and supporting.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)majorCleanFiber announced partnership with EPA's ENERGY STAR program in July 2025, recognizing the product's energy efficiency and environmental benefits.
- Third DerivativesupportingCleanFiber was selected for Third Derivative's climate tech accelerator cohort focused on innovative solutions for reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CleanFiber competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Greenfiber: One of the largest US cellulose insulation manufacturers, producing blown-in cellulose insulation from recycled paper. Directly competes with CleanFiber in the same cellulose insulation category for installer and contractor customers.
- Nu-Wool Company: Cellulose insulation manufacturer using recycled paper feedstock, serving residential and commercial insulation installers. Direct competitor to CleanFiber in cellulose-based blown-in insulation.
- Bonded Logic: Cellulose insulation manufacturer (formerly Bonded Fiber) producing high-performance insulation from recycled materials. Direct cellulose insulation peer with comparable sustainability positioning.
- Applegate Insulation Systems: Manufacturer of cellulose insulation and other building products from recycled materials. Direct cellulose insulation competitor serving residential and commercial installer customers.
Broad incumbents
- Owens Corning: Global building materials leader with major fiberglass and mineral wool insulation product lines. Broad incumbent competing across all insulation categories, including indirectly with CleanFiber in residential and commercial insulation.
- Johns Manville: Berkshire Hathaway-owned insulation manufacturer producing fiberglass, mineral wool, and other insulation products. Broad incumbent with overlapping customer base of insulation installers and contractors.
- CertainTeed: Saint-Gobain's North American building products brand offering fiberglass insulation, mineral wool, and other insulation solutions. Broad incumbent in the same insulation installer/contractor channel.
- Knauf Insulation: Global insulation manufacturer producing mineral wool, fiberglass, and other insulation products with sustainability positioning. Broad incumbent competing across residential and commercial insulation segments.
- Rockwool: Global leader in mineral wool insulation with strong sustainability and circular-economy messaging that overlaps CleanFiber's carbon-negative positioning. Broad incumbent in commercial and residential insulation.
Emerging players
- Hempitecture: Emerging sustainable insulation manufacturer producing hemp-based batt and loose-fill insulation. Emerging player targeting the same sustainability-conscious segment of the building insulation market as CleanFiber.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CleanFiber social profiles
Digital presenceCleanFiber compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
CleanFiber financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CleanFiber leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
CleanFiber funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds25 records
Investors30 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CleanFiber M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CleanFiber
What does CleanFiber do?
CleanFiber manufactures and sells CleanFiber® Cellulose Insulation, a next-generation building insulation made from recycled corrugated cardboard using a proprietary wet separation and infusion process that infuses all-borate liquid fire retardant directly into fiber walls. The product is sold in bags to professional insulation installers and contractors for use in attics, walls, and floors of residential and commercial new construction and retrofit projects.
Is CleanFiber a public or private company?
CleanFiber is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was CleanFiber founded?
CleanFiber was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CleanFiber based?
CleanFiber is headquartered in Buffalo, United States, in the North America region.
How does CleanFiber make money?
One revenue line is on record: cellulose Insulation Product Sales.
Who are CleanFiber's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Greenfiber, Nu-Wool Company, Bonded Logic and Applegate Insulation Systems. Broad incumbents are Owens Corning, Johns Manville, CertainTeed, Knauf Insulation and Rockwool. Hempitecture is listed as an emerging player.
Does CleanFiber have an API?
No public API is recorded for CleanFiber.
What industry is CleanFiber in?
CleanFiber's product category is Building Insulation Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADAGAC, Cellulose (Recycled Fiber) Insulation, with a secondary code of IMADAGAK, Blown-In/Loose-Fill Insulation Systems. Its NAICS code is 327993 and its SIC code is 2820.