From plastic to paper: Fedrigoni launches Materia Viva Metamorphosis, the sustainable plastic-free revolution


The Fedrigoni Group , leader in the manufacture of specialty papers and self-adhesive materials adds a new element to its commitment to the circular economy: multi-use paper solutions for industries ranging from fashion and food to personal care. The solutions are treated to maintain some characteristics of plastic while remaining totally single-material and recyclable. “Our aim is to support customers who have decided to follow the path of sustainable development for their products, including packaging”

Strictly mono-material, 100% recyclable paper that avoids lamination and limits the use of polluting inks and non-eco-friendly finishings, suitable for loyalty cards, wrapping for bars of soap or other products that can be damaged by mould, wrappers with transparent inserts, single-dose liquid packaging for food or cosmetic use, restaurant menus, photographic prints, as well as elegant rain-proof shopping bags, eyeshadow palettes and packaging for luxury e-commerce: this is the challenge taken up by Fedrigoni, the leading global player in the manufacture of fine papers for luxury packaging and other creative applications, premium labels and self-adhesive materials, which presents its latest project to replace plastic with paper in all possible applications.

An extraordinary metamorphosis reflected in it name, Materia Viva Metamorphosis, the collection of Fedrigoni papers that aim to replace plastic while guaranteeing its properties. It is the evolution of Materia Viva Roots, the vast collection of quality papers with high natural fibre content and 20% to 100% recycled material that was launched last year.

“The innovation introduced by Metamorphosis, inspired by the principles of the circular economy,” explains Micaela Di Trana, Marketing & R&D VP of Fedrigoni Paper, “is a concrete example of Fedrigoni Group’s ‘Making Progress’ approach to sustainability issues, which in the context of the development of new products pushes for increasingly cutting-edge solutions, capable of combining performance, aesthetics and care for the environment. We have carried out research and developed solutions for over 20 years in order to reduce the environmental impact of our supply chain and at the same time elevate the creativity of brands, designers, printers and converters, as well as students and young professionals. Our aim is to support customers who have decided to follow the path of sustainable development for their products, including packaging. Replacing plastic with paper is possible in many applications, and it is also aesthetically pleasing”.

Materia Viva Metamorphosis papers can be scratch-proof, grease-proof, stain-proof, mould resistant, water resistant, translucent, metallic, rigid, elastic, and resistant to impact, tearing, folding, heat and light without the aid of plastic or other polluting substances. This makes the final products or packaging fully recyclable. These characteristics vastly amplify the scope of application for Fedrigoni papers and make them adaptable and functional for all customer requirements, from food to cosmetics, fashion to retail, jewellery to luxury, right up to personal care.

Éclose, the new brand Fedrigoni is launching on the market, also falls into this context and will offer thermoformed products with a cellulose pulp base, replacing the current plastic ones. At the moment, the line comprises inner containers for cosmetics or perfume packaging, but the material – the result of proprietary technology and certified solutions with marked aspects of innovation and sustainability – will soon be available for outer containers like eyeglass cases. The name Éclose also refers to the concept of metamorphosis, deriving from the hatching of the chrysalis that releases the butterfly. Apart from being a brand, Éclose is a young Italian start-up, established through an agreement between Tecnoform, a Parma-based company that specialises in the manufacture of trays, display units and inner elements for packaging, and Fedrigoni (which holds a 70% share).

Fedrigoni’s commitment to the ever-greater sustainability of its products, processes and supply chain is written in black and white in the targets it has set itself for 2030. This is illustrated by the Platinum Rating it received from EcoVadis, an international sustainability rating agency, which places Fedrigoni in the top 1% of companies in the same industry worldwide for ESG performance.