Rubisco

What Rubisco does

Rubisco Limited is a New Zealand-based, privately held natural materials platform company that processes South Island-grown industrial hemp and New Zealand strong wool into a portfolio of specialty fibre products. The company operates a vertically integrated supply chain spanning hemp cultivation in the South Island, wool sourcing from Canterbury farmers, woollen spinning and processing at its Christchurch (Burnside) headquarters, and a purpose-built hemp decortication facility in Ashburton that came online in early 2026. Its product set is organised around five core lines — wool yarn, hemp hurd, hemp fibre, merino fibre, and hemp-wool bio-composite — and two branded geotextile sub-products, FuturFiber® and VE Geo-Loc™, which are needle-punched nonwoven erosion control and weed suppression matting products used in civil construction, infrastructure, landscaping and land rehabilitation. Rubisco holds the Global GreenTag Environmental Product Declaration for FuturFiber® and is the only EPD-certified natural fibre geotextile provider in Australia; its products carry a negative carbon footprint at production (-1.4 kg CO₂ per unit) and are positioned as biodegradable replacements for plastic-based materials and glass-fibre composites.

Name

Rubisco

Legal name

Rubisco Limited

Website

https://rubisco.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Fibre Materials and Textiles

NAICS

Nonwoven Fabric Mills (313230), Piece Goods, Notions, and Other Dry Goods Merchant Wholesalers (424310)

SIC

Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130), Miscellaneous Fabricated Textile Products (2390)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiber & Yarn (Natural, Synthetic, Blends) (CRAAAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wood-based Biocomposites & Natural Fiber Composites (WPC, bio-reinforced plastics) (IMAMALAF), Textiles, Fabrics, Trims & Components Suppliers (CRAAAAAL), Textiles & Fabric / Piece Goods Wholesale (CRAOADAH)

Keywords

• Natural fibre materials
• Hemp wool yarn
• Biodegradable geotextiles
• Bio-composite manufacturing
• Sustainable textile materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

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. Wool Yarn Sales: High-quality wool yarn for premium carpet applications. Sold globally to luxury interior design, private aviation, and fashion houses. Products used in Tom Ford store in Milan and Air Force One.
2. Natural Fibre Products: Hemp fibre, hemp hurd, merino fibre, and related natural fibre materials for textiles, construction, and bio-composite applications.
3. Geotextile Products: FuturFiber® and VE Geo-Loc™ natural fibre geotextiles for erosion control, weed suppression, slope stabilisation, and land rehabilitation. Distributed via exclusive partners in NZ and Australia.
4. Strategic Investment: Multi-million dollar strategic investment from Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua Limited to support development and scaling of natural materials platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rubisco manufactures and distributes a vertically integrated portfolio of natural fibre products derived from New Zealand hemp and wool, including premium wool yarn for luxury carpets and aviation interiors, hemp fibre, hemp hurd for construction, merino fibre, hemp-wool bio-composites, and biodegradable needle-punched geotextiles (FuturFiber® and VE Geo-Loc™) for civil construction and erosion control. Customers include luxury fashion brands (e.g., Tom Ford), activewear makers (Mons Royale), EV manufacturers (FTN Motion), and government infrastructure projects (Auckland Council, Manawatū Gorge).

Product overview

Rubisco is a natural materials platform company offering a portfolio of natural fibre products. The core offerings include five primary product categories: Wool Yarn (luxury high-end yarn for carpets and interiors), Hemp Hurd (construction insulation material), Hemp Fibre (raw fibre for textiles and construction), Merino Fibre (fine wool for apparel), and Bio-composite (hemp-wool fabric for composites). Under the sub-brand FuturFiber®, the company offers geotextiles for erosion control and land rehabilitation. VE Geo-Loc™ Made by Rubisco extends the geotextile range to the Australian market. All products are derived from natural, renewable fibres (hemp and wool) and are biodegradable, supporting the company's mission to replace synthetic materials with sustainable natural alternatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wool Yarn High-end luxury wool yarn systems sold globally for premium carpets, private aviation interiors, and fashion. Products are used in the Tom Ford store in Milan and Air Force One. No synthetic fibres are used in production.
• Hemp Hurd Byproduct of hemp cultivation used for eco-friendly construction. Hemp hurd provides exceptional insulation, is lightweight yet sturdy, acts as natural fire-retardant and soundproofing material. Used in hempcrete building systems and animal bedding.
• Hemp Fibre Premium organically grown hemp fibre for textiles, paper, and eco-friendly construction materials. Offers natural strength, durability, excellent absorbency, and breathability for clothing and bedding products.
• Merino Fibre Fine, soft merino wool with natural moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating properties. Suitable for luxury clothing, active wear, and applications requiring comfort across varying climates. Sustainable and biodegradable.
• Bio-composite Fabric Open-weave fabric combining hemp and wool as a substitute for glass fibre composite materials. Elevates NZ-grown products into high-value goods suitable for various applications including EV interiors.
• FuturFiber® Geotextile Needle-punched nonwoven geotextile made from South Island hemp and NZ strong wool. Provides erosion control, weed suppression, slope stabilisation, and land rehabilitation. First natural fibre product in New Zealand with Global GreenTag EPD. Carbon negative, sequestering -1.4 kg CO2 during production. Used in Manawatū Gorge works, IKEA Auckland, and Auckland Council projects.
• VE Geo-Loc™ Made by Rubisco Needle-punched nonwoven geotextile for the Australian market produced from NZ industrial hemp and strong wool. Contains no plastics, synthetic polymers, glues or chemical binders. Available as 100% wool (horticulture) or hemp-wool blend (civil construction). Formats: 2m x 30m rolls and 400mm x 400mm tile pads, specified 300-1200 GSM. Only EPD certified natural fibre geotextile in Australia.

Quantifiable outcome

• FuturFiber® sequesters -1.4 kg of CO₂ during production (carbon negative)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Vital ChemicalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 May 2026Exclusive distribution partner for VE Geo-Loc™ Made by Rubisco in Australia. Manages sales, technical support, and supply across civil construction, infrastructure, landscaping, and land rehabilitation. Partnership combines Rubisco's natural fibre manufacturing with Vital Chemical's established distribution network.
• Advance Landscape SystemscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive New Zealand distribution partner for FuturFiber® geotextiles. Ensures nationwide access for geotextile products. Appointed to support distribution following Global GreenTag EPD certification.
• AUT (Auckland University of Technology)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with Xiaowen Yuan supporting transition to low-emissions economy using innovative technology to transform plant fibre (harakeke, hemp, European flax) and wool into sustainable bio-derived materials for smart textiles, biosensors, drug delivery, wound healing dressings, and filter media.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HempFlax: European vertically integrated hemp processor cultivating, decorticating, and supplying hemp fibre, hurd, and shives for textiles, construction (hempcrete), and bio-composites. Closely comparable to Rubisco's vertically integrated hemp-to-product platform spanning fibre, hurd, geotextile, and bio-composite outputs.
• Woolyarns Limited: New Zealand-based yarn spinner producing high-quality wool yarns (including lambswool, merino blends) for carpet, apparel, and craft markets. Closest direct peer to Rubisco's wool yarn spinning operations in Christchurch — both NZ heritage yarn producers targeting premium textile and interior customers globally.
• Bcomp Ltd: Swiss manufacturer of natural fibre composites (ampliTex™, powerRibs™) using flax and other bast fibres as substitutes for glass fibre in automotive, sporting goods, and consumer products. Directly comparable to Rubisco's bio-composite product line which uses hemp-wool as a glass-fibre substitute for EV and high-performance applications.
• Bast Fibre Technologies: Manufacturer of natural bast fibres (hemp, flax, kenaf) processed into nonwoven fabrics for hygiene, filtration, automotive, and construction applications. Closely comparable to Rubisco's hemp fibre processing and nonwoven geotextile manufacturing, both serving industrial customers with sustainable alternatives to synthetic nonwovens.
• Smartfiber AG: German specialty fibre company producing functional natural fibres (modal, lyocell, sea cell) with built-in performance characteristics for apparel, home textiles, and technical applications. Comparable to Rubisco as a smaller specialty fibre producer targeting performance + sustainability positioning in apparel and technical textile end-markets.

Broad incumbents

• Naue GmbH & Co. KG: Major European manufacturer of geosynthetics including geotextiles, geomembranes, and erosion control products serving civil construction and infrastructure. Comparable to Rubisco's FuturFiber® and VE Geo-Loc™ geotextile lines but operating across a broader portfolio of synthetic and natural geosynthetic solutions at much larger scale.
• Lenzing AG: Global specialty fibre manufacturer producing sustainable cellulosic fibres (Tencel/Lyocell, Modal, Viscose) for apparel, home textiles, and industrial applications. Directly comparable to Rubisco as a fibre producer targeting sustainability-driven apparel and interior brands, but operating at much larger scale and with broader fibre portfolio across both natural and man-made cellulosic inputs.
• Icebreaker (Merino Holdings): Global merino wool apparel brand producing outdoor and activewear garments from natural merino fibre. Comparable to Rubisco as a downstream customer/user of premium natural merino and wool yarns targeting apparel and activewear end-markets, though operating as a finished brand rather than fibre producer.
• TenCate Geosynthetics (Solmax/TenCate): Established global geosynthetics manufacturer producing geotextiles and erosion control products for civil construction. Comparable to Rubisco's geotextile business but with broader synthetic-based product portfolio and much larger global commercial footprint across infrastructure projects.

Emerging players

• Natural Fiber Welding Inc. US-based sustainable materials company using proprietary technology to transform natural fibres (cotton, hemp, coconut) into high-performance materials for footwear, apparel, and automotive applications. Comparable to Rubisco's bio-composite development focus on substituting synthetic inputs with performance-engineered natural fibre alternatives.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Rubisco