Cellulose
Cellulose is the most abundant biomolecule on our planet. It is a polysaccharide, in other words a multiple sugar. You probably know cellulose mainly as a component of paper. However, you will find out why it is not only suitable for wrapping cells, but also as packaging for your edible products.
What exactly is cellulose?
With its excellent stabilising characteristics, cellulose is part of every plant cell wall. The proportion of cellulose in plant biomass varies greatly depending on the species. Wood, for example, consists of only up to 50 % cellulose, depending on the type. In contrast, many plant species such as cotton, flax and straw mainly consist of cellulose and are thus suitable for purposes that differ from those of wood.
What is cellulose used for?
Cellulose has very diverse applications. The best known is probably paper production, where cellulose is the main raw material. But cellulose is also used in the clothing industry in the form of viscose, cotton fibre or linen. Wood is only the original material for viscose. Cotton fibres, on the other hand, are made from cotton and linen from flax. Cellulose is also found in the packaging industry as food packaging. Thanks to its unique barrier characteristics with just one coating cellulose can be used for many different types of packaging.
Special properties of cellulose
Within the plant cells, cellulose is the fundamental component of the cell walls. Its fibrous structure supports the cell walls and at the same time gives them elasticity. In addition, cellulose is not water-soluble. Thanks to these properties, it is ideally suited for use in the take-away business. Depending on the manufacturing process, the finished product also has a high temperature resistance. In our shop, for example, you will find menu trays made of cellulose that can be filled with hot food and even be sealed.
- Biodegradable according to EN13432
- Particularly stable thanks to bio-polymer lignin
- Water-resistant thanks to bio-coating
- Thermal properties: suitable for oven and microwave depending on production and purpose
And what about its sustainability?
Cellulose is made from various plant fibres, so it is difficult to make a uniform statement about the sustainability of these very different products. In our case, however, the cellulose is wood-based and thus consists mainly of a renewable raw material. The only disadvantage is the high water consumption in the production of wood-based cellulose. However, since cellulose can be recycled in most cases, a lot of water can be saved. In addition, the wood used comes from sustainable forestry. For this, as well as for the recyclability, there are therefore direct benefits on account of the sustainability.
What now?
Check out our online shop and get an idea of our cellulose products yourself. For example, you can find the sealable menu trays, so you can see at first-hand what you think of cellulose as a packaging material.
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