eco:fibr

What eco:fibr does

eco:fibr GmbH is a Hannover-based private materials company that converts agricultural residue from pineapple cultivation into industrial-grade cellulose fibers marketed as a sustainable alternative to wood pulp. The company's core technology comprises two extraction routes: a mechanically driven defibration process that yields dry fibers for low-risk market entry, and a patented chemical extraction process that produces bleached pulp using oxygen-based agents rather than sulfur- or chlorine-based chemicals, operating at lower temperatures and pressures than the conventional Kraft process. Target customers are European specialty paper manufacturers (wall coverings, artist papers, decorative papers), packaging producers seeking visible sustainable materials, and composite/building material manufacturers; the company cites first Letters of Intent and validation by research partners as commercial proof points, though it remains pre-revenue. The business model is B2B direct sales of fibers and pulp, with raw material sourced from pineapple plantations in Costa Rica (4.5 million tonnes of residue annually) and initial production executed via a toll manufacturing partnership with fiber-rec in Munich, targeting >50 tonnes of fiber output from Germany starting in Q2 2026. Geographic expansion plans include a demonstration plant in Costa Rica followed by entry into Latin American and US markets, financed in part by a completed €600,000 crowdinvesting round via Fundernation in 2025.

Name

eco:fibr

Legal name

eco:fibr GmbH

Website

https://ecofibr.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

eco:fibr (eco:fibr GmbH), based in Hannover, Germany, converts pineapple plant agricultural residues from Costa Rica into industrial-grade cellulose fibers as a sustainable alternative to wood pulp for European specialty paper, packaging, and composite material manufacturers. The company is pre-revenue, with initial production targeted for Q2 2026 via toll manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Pulp & Fiber Manufacturing

NAICS

Pulp Mills (322110)

SIC

Pulp Mills (2611)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Wood Fiber Pulp (Bagasse, Bamboo, Straw, Hemp, etc.) (IMAMADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cellulose-Based Biodegradable Materials (cellulose films, fibers, derivatives) (IMAEAOAE), Compostable & Bio-Based Flexible Packaging (PLA, PHA, Cellulose Films) (IMALABAO), Bio-based Packaging Materials (molded fiber, bio-barrier coatings, compostables) (IMAMALAI)

Keywords

• Sustainable pulp production
• Pineapple fiber extraction
• Agricultural residue upcycling
• Alternative cellulose fibers
• Bio-based paper materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fiber and Pulp Sales: Revenue from selling sustainably produced fibers and pulp extracted from pineapple plant agricultural residues. Sold to paper and packaging industry manufacturers. Initial products are mechanically extracted dry fibers, followed by chemically extracted bleached pulp. Revenue model is B2B product sales with first customer LOIs in place.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

eco:fibr produces industrial-grade cellulose fibers and pulp from pineapple plant agricultural residues (leaves, stems, crowns) sourced from plantations in Costa Rica. The company offers two product lines: mechanically extracted dry fibers (market-entry product) and chemically extracted bleached pulp (produced via a patented, chemical-light extraction process). Output is sold B2B to manufacturers of specialty papers, visible packaging, composite materials, and building materials as a sustainable alternative to wood-based pulp.

Product overview

eco:fibr offers a dual-product portfolio of sustainable fibers extracted from pineapple plant agricultural residues. The core offering consists of two fiber types: (1) Mechanically Extracted Fibers (Trockenfasern), which serve as the market-entry product using a proven, low-risk mechanical process; and (2) Chemically Extracted Fibers, a higher-value bleached pulp produced via the company's proprietary patented chemical process. Both products are derived from 100% plant-based residues sourced from pineapple cultivation in Costa Rica, targeting manufacturers of specialty papers, visible packaging, composite materials, and building materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mechanically Extracted Fibers (Mechanisch extrahierte Fasern / Trockenfasern)

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• fiber-rec (Munich)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Toll manufacturing partnership with fiber-rec based in Munich, Germany. Enables eco:fibr to produce industrial quantities of fibers in Germany via Lohnfertigung (contract manufacturing) for initial market entry in Q2 2026. Import of pre-processed pineapple plant material for production at their facility.
• Pineapple Plantations (Costa Rica)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term supply partnerships with pineapple plantations in Costa Rica for sourcing agricultural residues (leaves, stems, crowns). Both whole plants and pre-processed materials (pre-chopped, dried, silage bales, biogas residues) sourced. Sustainable plantation selection criteria applied.
• Enactus Hannover e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent initiative at Leibniz University Hannover where the founding team (Merit, Julian, Niklas and others) developed the eco:fibr concept starting from 2018. First trip to Costa Rica in 2018 identified the pineapple waste problem. All technical process and business model development originated from this university engagement.
• Hafven AcceleratorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst milestone in business model development was participation in Hafven Accelerator program in 2020. Located in Hannover, this startup accelerator provided early-stage support and validation for the new business concept before eco:fibr GmbH was founded in April 2022.
• Research PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuality validated with research partners and customers. Technical support from various research institutions shown in partner logos section. Ongoing R&D collaboration for process optimization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ananas Anam: Ananas Anam produces Piñatex, a non-woven leather alternative made from pineapple leaf fiber. Most direct peer: same feedstock (pineapple leaf residue), same waste-to-fiber value proposition, and same target of substituting conventional industrial inputs with pineapple-derived material.

Emerging players

• Spinnova: Spinnova produces textile fiber from wood pulp and agricultural waste (wheat straw, etc.) using a mechanical, low-chemical process. Comparable as an alternative-fiber producer targeting sustainability-driven textile and nonwoven buyers with agricultural-residue-based feedstocks.
• Bast Fibre Technologies: Bast Fibre Technologies processes hemp, flax, and other bast crops into natural fibers for nonwovens and composites. Comparable as a developer of non-wood, agricultural-residue-based fibers for paper, packaging, and composite applications.
• BComp: BComp produces natural fiber reinforcements (flax-based) for composite materials targeting automotive, sports, and construction. Comparable as a sustainable alternative fiber supplier into the composite and building materials segment — one of eco:fibr's target customer bases.
• Notpla: Notpla develops seaweed-based packaging and coating materials as alternatives to plastic. Comparable as a sustainability-driven, agricultural-residue-based materials company targeting the same packaging customer pain points (plastic substitution, circular economy narratives).

Broad incumbents

• Sappi: Global pulp and paper producer with dissolving pulp, specialty paper, and packaging businesses. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same specialty paper and packaging customer base eco:fibr targets, with the scale and integration eco:fibr currently lacks.
• UPM: Diversified pulp, paper, and biochemicals producer with growing investments in biofuels and bio-based raw materials. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the pulp industry actively exploring non-wood and biochemical alternatives.
• Suzano: World's largest eucalyptus pulp producer and a major player in dissolving pulp for textiles and cellulosic applications. Comparable as a low-cost, large-scale pulp incumbent whose pricing sets the benchmark eco:fibr must compete against on cost.
• Birla Cellulose: Part of Aditya Birla Group, one of the world's largest producers of dissolving pulp and man-made cellulosic fibers. Comparable as an incumbent in alternative cellulosic fiber supply for textile and industrial applications.
• Kelheim Fibres: Specialty viscose fiber producer serving hygiene, textiles, and technical applications. Comparable as an established specialty cellulose fiber producer targeting similar B2B end-markets (hygiene, technical textiles, specialty papers) with cellulosic inputs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ecofibr.de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecofibr
• Instagraminstagram.com/ecofibr_de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 eco:fibr