Hoowaki

What Hoowaki does

Hoowaki LLC is a Greenville, South Carolina-based materials technology company that manufactures and sells MicroGrip™ branded high-grip films and steel surfaces built on patented bio-mimetic micro-surface engineering. The technology uses invisible mechanical micro-patterns — drawing inspiration from natural surfaces such as lotus leaves and gecko feet — to produce friction and grip without chemical coatings, adhesives, or lubricants, and is backed by more than 50 filed and granted patents covering several hundred micro-pattern designs. The product portfolio comprises four core SKUs: MicroGrip Grey Polypropylene Film (for roofing underlayment and vapor barriers), MicroGrip Clear Polypropylene Film (for laminated labels and wide-format floor graphics), MicroGrip Medical Film (for implanted and Class 1 medical devices, made in a Class 7 cleanroom with medical-grade materials), and MicroGrip Steel (305 stainless steel for extreme-environment grasping up to 1000°C and high radiation).

Hoowaki complements the product line with four service offerings — Medical Research and Product Development, Contract Manufacturing, Custom Film Prototypes, and Friction Measurements — that have supported over 500 medical device R&D engagements. The company monetizes through direct unit-priced e-commerce sales (films from $5 for five-packs and from $20 for adhesive-backed SKUs), quoted bulk and custom-width roll orders (up to 74 inches), and contract R&D and manufacturing fees. Go-to-market is hybrid: manufacturer representatives (PrincipiaMed Symphony Sales for medical, HB Dynamics for construction and label films) cover enterprise buyers in their respective verticals, while the company website serves as the top-of-funnel content and small-order channel with technical data sheets, demonstration videos, and direct phone sales. The firm holds ISO 9001 certification, operates from 400 Birnie Street in Greenville, and appears privately held with no disclosed outside funding.

The business serves medical device manufacturers, construction/roofing contractors, label and packaging converters, and industrial customers in electronics, aerospace, automotive, undersea, oil & gas, and nuclear applications. The differentiator versus conventional adhesive or chemical grip solutions is non-abrasive, non-traumatic, chemical-free grip that performs when wet, soapy, oily, or dry, combined with ultra-thin base films (50–100 µm) that add minimal mass to finished products.

Name

Hoowaki

Legal name

Hoowaki LLC

Website

https://hoowaki.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hoowaki LLC manufactures MicroGrip™ high-grip films and steel surfaces using patented bio-mimetic micro-surface technology, serving medical device, construction, label, and industrial manufacturers with products that deliver chemical-free grip when wet or dry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Industrial Films and Surface Engineering

NAICS

Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112), Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)

SIC

Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081)

akta.pro primary industry

Plastic Films & Laminated Packaging Structures Manufacturing (IMANAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multilayer Laminates & Composite Structures (Solvent/Water/Extrusion Laminated) (IMALABAD), Medical & Hygiene Film/Sheet Extrusion (Cleanroom, Sterile Barrier, Diaper Backsheets) (IMANACAF)

Keywords

• Micro surface films
• High grip materials
• Anti-slip films
• Medical device components
• Construction underlayment

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - MicroGrip Films: Sale of proprietary MicroGrip polypropylene films in various formats (grey, clear, medical grade) with and without adhesive. Films are sold in standard sizes and custom dimensions up to 74 inch width.
2. Product Sales - MicroGrip Steel: Sale of 305 stainless steel sheets with high grip micropattern for industrial and medical grasping applications.
3. Contract Manufacturing Services: Class 7 cleanroom manufacturing capabilities for medical device components with micro-pattern application. Manufacturing services billed as professional services.
4. Custom Film Prototypes: Prototype development services using lab extrusion line for custom film dimensions and materials with adhesive-backed options.
5. Friction Measurement Services: Custom pull force measurement and friction testing services with higher accuracy and repeatability than industry standards.
6. Medical R&D Services: Research and product development services for applying micro surface technology to medical devices. Over 500 medical device R&D projects completed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hoowaki manufactures and supplies high-grip MicroGrip branded films (grey polypropylene, clear polypropylene, medical-grade) and MicroGrip Steel components using patented bio-mimetic micro-surface technology. The company also provides medical device R&D, contract manufacturing in a Class 7 cleanroom, friction measurement testing, and custom film prototyping services.

Product overview

Hoowaki offers a portfolio of MicroGrip™ branded products anchored by its patented micro-surface technology, which uses invisible mechanical micro-patterns to produce high grip surfaces without sticky coatings, chemicals, or particulates. The core product line consists of four MicroGrip™ film products — Grey Polypropylene Film (for construction underlayment), Clear Polypropylene Film (for labels and floor graphics), Medical Film (for implanted medical devices), and Steel (for industrial grasping) — alongside four service offerings: Medical Research and Product Development, Contract Manufacturing, Friction Measurements, and Custom Film Product Prototypes. The films share a common technological foundation (micro surface technology) but are differentiated by substrate material and target industry, while the services support both product adoption and custom development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MicroGrip™: High grip micro-surface technology product line including films (Grey PP, Clear PP, Medical Film), MicroGrip™ Steel, and laminate films for medical, construction, and label applications.

Products and services

• MicroGrip Grey Polypropylene Film High grip synthetic underlayment providing both high grip and waterproof barrier in one layer for building construction. Standard 200 micron (8 mil) and Extra Tough 250 micron (10 mil) thicknesses, with custom widths up to 72 inches. Designed for roofing contractors and construction industry use.
• MicroGrip Clear Polypropylene Film Transparent high grip film designed for laminated and reverse printed labels and wide format floor graphics. Eliminates slippery-when-wet conditions in floor graphics and label applications. Used by label converters, packaging manufacturers, and wide format graphics producers.
• MicroGrip Medical Film High grip film for implanted medical devices with different patterns to grip specific tissues. Manufactured in USA in Class 7 cleanroom with medical grade materials including TPU, Polypropylene, TPV, and Silicone. Provides non-traumatic anti-migration surfaces for implanted devices and surgical applications.
• MicroGrip Steel 305 stainless steel with high grip micropattern for grasping and anti-slip applications. Machined and electropolished in the USA. Withstands temperatures up to 1000°C and high radiation environments, suitable for undersea, oil and gas, nuclear, aerospace, automotive, and medical testing laboratory applications.
• Medical Research and Product Development R&D service applying patented micro surface technology to existing medical device designs and materials. Over 500 medical device R&D projects completed. Supports development of self-expanding wire frame devices, implanted film-based barriers and meshes, anchoring components, balloons, packaging, handling applications, and surgical end effectors.
• Contract Manufacturing Contract manufacturing services including a Class 7 cleanroom for producing high quality medical device components with micro pattern application. Billed as professional services for medical device manufacturers requiring regulated manufacturing environments.
• Friction Measurements High quality and repeatable friction testing services using custom pull force measurement equipment, with methods more accurate and repeatable than industry standards. Used by manufacturers needing verified grip performance data for their products and applications.
• Custom Film Product Prototypes Prototype development services using Hoowaki's lab extrusion line for custom film dimensions, materials, and adhesive backed high-grip film options. Supports development of custom high quality film products for specific application requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Highest known grip available - outperforms industry standard
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PrincipiaMed Symphony SalescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManufacturer representative firm representing Hoowaki for medical device applications and products. Handles sales outreach and relationship management with medical device manufacturers.
• HB DynamicscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManufacturer representative firm representing Hoowaki for construction and label film products. Manages sales relationships with construction industry and label/packaging manufacturers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• 3M: Global materials giant with overlapping product lines including Safety-Walk anti-slip films, label stocks, and medical films. 3M also supplies Hoowaki's 3M 468MP adhesive, illustrating direct commercial overlap and competitive overlap in anti-slip and specialty films.
• Nitto Denko: Japanese specialty films and adhesive products manufacturer serving electronics, medical, and industrial markets. Overlaps with Hoowaki's high-grip films and MicroGrip Steel in extreme-environment and medical device applications.
• Rogers Corporation: Specialty engineered materials maker with high-performance films, foams, and elastomers used in electronics, aerospace, and medical devices. Comparable to Hoowaki in extreme-environment films and high-specification microstructured substrates.
• Berry Global: Large-scale manufacturer of flexible plastic films, laminates, and packaging materials. Competes with Hoowaki's Polypropylene films in label, construction, and general packaging applications at much higher volume but lower specialization.
• Saint-Gobain: Diversified building products and high-performance materials manufacturer with specialty films, membranes, and anti-slip surfaces for construction and industrial markets. Overlaps with Hoowaki's construction film and MicroGrip Steel anti-slip offerings.

Direct peers

• Avery Dennison: World's largest label-stock manufacturer with films for wet-area floor graphics and industrial labels. Avery's high-performance label films compete head-to-head with Hoowaki's Clear PP Film for laminated and reverse-printed label applications.
• Heskins: Specialist manufacturer of anti-slip tapes and films for construction, marine, and industrial safety. Directly comparable to Hoowaki in the chemistry-free anti-slip surface category and competes for the same end customers in flooring and roofing safety.
• Brady Corporation: Specialist in high-performance labels, floor-graphics films, and safety signage including anti-slip floor markings. Directly comparable to Hoowaki's Clear PP Film product line for wet-area floor graphics and reverse-printed labels.
• DuPont (Tyvek): Producer of Tyvek synthetic construction underlayments and weather barriers. Direct substitute for Hoowaki's Grey PP Film in steep-slope roofing underlayment, with similar value proposition around lighter weight and multi-functional barrier performance.

Emerging players

• Surface Solutions Group: Niche provider of engineered surface textures and micro-patterned films for industrial and medical customers. Closely comparable emerging-stage peer pursuing similar bio-inspired or micro-structured grip-surface applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Hoowaki