Reviewed by Lexie CornerDec 4 2024
The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, in collaboration with Aalto University and Finnish industrial partners, has developed a continuous process for bending cardboard to create reel-to-reel origami-inspired structures for fiber-based packaging.
Image Credit: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
Origami-inspired folds offer new functional properties for cardboard. These lightweight and durable structures provide an effective and visually appealing alternative to protective materials like plastic and expanded polystyrene (EPS). Designers have also noted the material's aesthetic potential.
The increasing demand for packaging driven by e-commerce, coupled with concerns about carbon footprints and material composition, highlights the need for sustainable packaging solutions. Issues like microplastic pollution further emphasize the importance of alternatives.
The FOLD and FOLD2 projects, involving 13 firms, organizations, and academic institutions, aim to advance cardboard as a sustainable packaging material. The projects included developing a machine to fold origami cardboard and testing various materials. The results demonstrate the potential for cardboard in creating flexible, resilient, and sustainable packaging solutions.
The technology of FOLD is completely unique in the world. Origami folding transforms cardboard into a flexible, protective, and visually appealing material, unlike anything that’s previously been available for industry-wide production. The technology we’ve developed also has the capacity to produce foldable materials from recycled goods.
Jarmo Kouko, Research Team Leader, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Kouko, the creator of the FOLD project, developed the idea after attending a packaging industry conference focused on folding techniques. Traditional origami involves intricate hand-folding, which can take hours to complete—a limitation for commercial packaging. Kouko was inspired by the possibility of using mechanical folding to produce protective, lightweight, and visually appealing designs more efficiently.
The technology replicates the hand-folding process mechanically, ensuring consistent precision and quality that are challenging to achieve manually. It can be applied to a range of commercially available paperboard grades without requiring changes to the materials.
Kouko added, “The Japanese Miura origami pattern we’ve chosen is relatively simple, which makes it potentially suitable for folding many other materials. We have investigated the possibilities of developing techniques and models where felt or film made from PET, widely used in plastic packaging, could be shaped in the Miura form. We have also performed some preliminary testing for other materials, such as aluminum foil.”
Industry Collaboration for Swifter Commercialization
The FOLD project involved eight industrial companies that contributed to its development and funding. The current phase, FOLD2, began in March 2024 with continued support from a coalition of companies. The project aims to expand the technology's applicability to various materials and establish partnerships across Europe for trial projects, as well as with global partners for commercialization after FOLD2 is completed.
The packaging industry is very interested in FOLD, and close cooperation with various enterprises enables us to move quickly from the innovation phase to practical application. We could see origami cardboard on the market within 3-5 years if the project progresses as planned.
Jari Räsänen, R and D Manager, Stora Enso
Beautiful Material Inspires Designers
The FOLD material's adaptability and eco-friendliness also appeal to designers. Demonstrations of origami cardboard packaging were showcased at the 2023 Design Weeks in Finland and the Netherlands, where the material received positive feedback.
In industries such as cosmetics, where packaging aesthetics significantly influence the client experience, FOLD offers a more refined unboxing experience while being more environmentally sustainable than conventional options like plastic bubble wrap or expanded polystyrene.
Due to its interesting visual appearance and renewable material, origami works well in consumer products.
Essi Arola, Lumene
“Folding cardboard opens up completely new possibilities for us when developing fiber-based packaging, for example, for the food industry. With our new Japanese owner, origami folds are a particularly interesting topic,” said Annika Sundell from packaging company Walki Group.
The material also inspires fresh research and practical solutions across a variety of areas.
“This project is a good example of the power of multidisciplinary collaboration. Solving folding-related problems requires not only an understanding of the ideal geometric structures of mathematics but also knowledge of materials and modeling through design and engineering sciences,” added Kirsi Peltonen, a mathematics lecturer at Aalto University specializing in origami.
Peltonen added, “Unprejudiced hand-made prototyping has produced numerous new research questions alongside practical applications. In addition to packaging solutions, the project's results are also suitable for, for example, abrasive products and interior structures.”
The FOLD project brought together several partners, including Anpap, Business Finland, Elomatic, Lumene, Metsä Board, Mirka, Orfer, Soften, Stora Enso, and VTT and Aalto University. The ongoing FOLD2 project involves VTT, Aalto University, Anpap, Business Finland, Marja-Suomen Taimituotanto, Mirka, Soften, Stora Enso, and Walki.