What Sulapac does

Sulapac is a Helsinki-based material innovation company founded in 2016 by three scientists that develops patented biobased and biodegradable wood-composite materials as drop-in replacements for conventional plastics. Its core technology combines biodegradable biopolymers with sustainable fillers sourced from industrial wood side streams and natural clay minerals, organized across seven product families differentiated by wood particle size and target manufacturing process: Premium and Universal for injection molding, Flow 1.7/1.8 for thermoforming and cosmetic pencils, Luxe and Luxe Flex for luxury cosmetics, Solid for reusable tableware and kitchenware, and Barrier for oxygen/moisture-sensitive packaging. All materials are compatible with existing plastic converting machinery (injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, 3D printing), enabling manufacturers to switch without capital retooling, and offer cradle-to-gate carbon footprints of 0.09-0.57 kgCO2eq./kg versus 1.6-1.95 kgCO2eq./kg for conventional PP/HDPE.

Sulapac serves enterprise B2B customers across cosmetics (CHANEL, Shiseido, L'Oréal, Guerlain, Lumene, Byredo, Schwan Cosmetics), food service and hospitality (Burger King Finland, St. Regis Dubai, Four Seasons Dubai, Marimekko), spirits and confectionery (Fazer, Atom Group), and jewelry and lifestyle brands (Kultakeskus, MEXX). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the company notes that at scale, material pricing is competitive with conventional plastics, and contracts are structured as multi-year agreements. Revenue is generated primarily through direct material sales to manufacturers and brands, complemented by a channel network of manufacturing partners (Primex, Scanfill, Nissha, FaiveleyTech, AlBayader, Toly, Thomas Ellis Engineering) and a growing closed-loop ecosystem with Kamupak, Lassila & Tikanoja, and TotalEnergies Corbion for reusable and chemically recycled material flows.

The company has attracted investment from strategic luxury and sustainability-focused backers including CHANEL (lead investor, 2019) and Sky Ocean Ventures, alongside Lifeline Ventures, Bonnier Capital, Mousse Partners, Ardent Capital, Valve Ventures, Planvest Oy, and EISMEA grants, with cumulative disclosed funding above €20M. Operations span three continents with materials certified for industrial compostability (BPI, Seedling, TÜV), marine and landfill biodegradation (ASTM D6691, D5511), USDA BioPreferred biobased content, FSC sustainable sourcing, EU and FDA food contact compliance, and ISO 9001/14001 management systems, positioning the portfolio for compliance with upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation requirements.

Name

Sulapac

Legal name

Sulapac Ltd

Website

https://sulapac.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sulapac is a Helsinki-based material innovation company that develops patented biobased and biodegradable wood-composite compounds as drop-in replacements for conventional plastics. It sells directly to enterprise manufacturers and brand owners in cosmetics, food service, hospitality, and consumer goods across three continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biodegradable Packaging Materials

NAICS

Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing (325211), Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial and Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing (3252)

SIC

Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based & Biodegradable Polymer Resin Manufacturing (PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT) (IMANANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodegradable Polymers & Resins (PLA, PHA, PBS, PBAT) (IMAEAOAA), Biodegradable Packaging Materials (films, trays, foams) (IMAEAOAB)

Keywords

• Biodegradable packaging materials
• Biobased plastic alternatives
• Biopolymer material compounds
• Sustainable cosmetic packaging
• Compostable thermoforming materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Material Sales: Sulapac sells its biobased materials to manufacturers and brands for use in various applications including cosmetics packaging, food service products, and industrial applications. Materials are sold as compounds for injection molding, extrusion, and thermoforming processes. Revenue is generated through direct material sales to B2B customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sulapac develops, manufactures, and sells a portfolio of patented biobased and biodegradable wood-composite material compounds designed as drop-in replacements for conventional plastics. The materials are sold to manufacturers and brands for use in injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, and 3D printing applications across cosmetics packaging, food service products, and consumer homewares. Materials biodegrade without leaving permanent microplastics and are compatible with existing plastic converting machinery.

Product overview

Sulapac is a Finnish material innovation company offering a portfolio of bio-based, biodegradable premium material compounds designed to replace conventional plastics. The product portfolio includes distinct material families organized by wood particle size: Premium (large wood chips), Universal (medium wood chips), Flow (wood dust for thermoforming), and Luxe (wood flour for cosmetics). Additional variants include Luxe Flex, Barrier, and Solid (without wood). These materials are designed for various manufacturing technologies including injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, and 3D printing, targeting applications in cosmetics packaging, food service products (reusables, straws, cutlery, takeaway packaging), homewares, and supplements. All materials are designed as drop-in solutions compatible with existing plastic converting machinery and offer end-of-life options including mechanical/chemical recycling and industrial composting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sulapac Premium: Material featuring large wood chips for injection molding applications
• Sulapac Universal
• Sulapac Flow
• Sulapac Luxe
• Sulapac Luxe Flex
• Sulapac Solid
• Sulapac Barrier

Products and services

• Sulapac Universal Biobased injection molding material with medium wood chip content designed as a sustainable replacement for conventional plastic in packaging applications including cosmetics, cutlery, and single-use items.
• Sulapac Premium Premium biobased material featuring large wood chips, offering a distinctive natural appearance with enhanced aesthetic properties for luxury packaging applications.
• Sulapac Flow 1.7 Wood flour-based thermoforming material with 72% USDA-certified biobased content for packaging inserts, cake trays, cosmetic trays, food containers, drinking cups, lids, and retail displays; offers 5-20% energy savings and up to 20% faster production.
• Sulapac Flow 1.8 Sustainable bio-based material designed specifically for cosmetic pencils, providing easy sharpening, stability, and a luxurious look and feel.
• Sulapac Luxe Premium bio-based material including wood flour for the cosmetics industry, designed to deliver luxury feel and performance expected by high-end beauty brands while remaining sustainable.
• Sulapac Luxe Flex Flexible variant of the Sulapac Luxe material line offering enhanced mechanical properties while maintaining sustainability credentials for cosmetics packaging applications.
• Sulapac Solid 100% biobased material without wood content, developed for reusable tableware and kitchenware; dishwasher and microwave safe, high impact strength, ceramic-like appearance, can withstand approximately 200 washing cycles and biodegrades without permanent microplastics.
• Sulapac Barrier Material variant without wood content designed to provide enhanced barrier properties for packaging applications requiring superior oxygen and moisture resistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Carbon footprint reduction to 0.09 kgCO2eq./kg for Sulapac Universal (vs 1.63-1.95 kgCO2eq./kg for PP)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• TotalEnergies CorbioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2024Partnership to promote circularity in the cosmetics industry. TotalEnergies Corbion provides recycled biodegradable biopolymers for use in Sulapac materials. Collaboration enables supply of materials with high recycled content while maintaining food contact quality.
• Burger King FinlandflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot closed-loop model where Burger King Finland uses reusable Sulapac Solid cups. Cups are collected, recycled, and used to create new material, demonstrating circular economy model in quick-service restaurant setting.
• Schwan CosmeticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal makeup supplier collaborated with Sulapac to create cosmetic pencil barrels from sustainable Sulapac material. Lip liner and eye liner pencils feature sustainable barrel material maintaining quality and sharpening performance.
• Primex Plastics Corp.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPrimex produces Prime Sulapac custom thermoforming sheets made from Sulapac Ltd.'s wood-derived, biodegradable biomaterial. Sheets target rigid packaging and thermoformed applications in the U.S. market, combining bio-based fillers with biodegradable biopolymers.
• ScanfillcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorScanfill produces thermoforming foil using Sulapac materials. Partnership enables supply of thermoforming materials through established distribution channel in Central Europe.
• KamupakflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish circular economy company offers reusable packaging as a service using Sulapac Solid cups. Kamupak provides cups to restaurants, catering, and event businesses. Cups are reused at least 125 times and collected for recycling at end of life.
• Lassila & TikanojacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFinnish recycling and property maintenance company collects Sulapac products at end of life for recycling. Partnership supports closed-loop model enabling collection and processing of biobased biodegradable materials.
• NELE KosmetikminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean collaboration between Sulapac and formulation specialist NELE Kosmetik resulted in sustainable decorative cosmetic pencil. Material innovation combined with formulation expertise for high-performance sustainable product.
• FaiveleyTechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerByredo perfume caps made through FaiveleyTech and Sulapac collaboration. Partnership demonstrates application of Sulapac materials in luxury fragrance closures.
• CIRCLE ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour-year €27 million European research project funded under Horizon Europe. Sulapac created cosmetic packaging prototype from world's first food waste-based PLA produced by TripleW and Sulzer. Project aims to demonstrate industrial biorefinery converting food waste into bioplastics.
• Thomas Ellis EngineeringminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK-based thermoforming specialist trialled and adopted Sulapac Flow 1.7 material. Company produces sustainable packaging inserts and reports excellent processability and customer response to the material.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Avani Eco: Producer of biobased compostable packaging including cassava-based films, cutlery, and bags. Competes with Sulapac in single-use food service and packaging applications across emerging markets.
• Notpla: UK startup producing seaweed-based biodegradable packaging including films and sachets. Targets the same sustainability-driven CPG and food service customers as Sulapac with an adjacent biopolymer technology.
• Plantic Technologies: Australian manufacturer of starch-based biodegradable barrier packaging materials. Overlaps with Sulapac's Barrier and Flow thermoforming materials in food-contact and packaging applications.

Direct peers

• NatureWorks: World's largest PLA bioplastic resin producer. Directly competes with Sulapac as a biobased/biodegradable polymer resin manufacturer targeting packaging, food service, and consumer goods applications.
• TotalEnergies Corbion: Joint venture producing Luminy PLA bioplastics. Direct competitor in biobased polymer resins and a known partner/customer of Sulapac for recycled PLA supply, indicating overlap in the same value chain.
• Novamont: Italian producer of Mater-Bi biodegradable bioplastics used in packaging, food service, and agricultural films. Comparable to Sulapac in offering certified compostable drop-in biopolymer compounds.
• Danimer Scientific: US-listed producer of Nodax PHA biodegradable bioplastic resins for food service, packaging, and consumer goods. Comparable to Sulapac as a specialty biodegradable polymer manufacturer.
• TIPA: Israel-based developer of compostable flexible packaging films targeting fashion, food, and consumer goods brands. Directly comparable to Sulapac in certified compostable, drop-in packaging alternatives.

Broad incumbents

• BASF: Global chemicals incumbent offering Ecovio biodegradable plastics and broader biopolymer portfolio. Competes with Sulapac at scale across packaging and agricultural applications but as part of a much wider chemicals portfolio.
• Pactiv Evergreen: Large North American foodservice and packaging manufacturer producing both conventional and biobased/compostable food serviceware. Competes with Sulapac Solid in reusables and compostable QSR applications as a broad incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sulapac

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors11 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sulapac