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3D fibre technology is changing packaging design Three-dimensional fibre product technology is changing the packag- ing market and the way packaging is being designed. One such 3D in- novation, called Muoto™ is being developed by Metsä Group’s innova- tion company Metsä Spring. With this technology, wood fibre, witch is also used for the production of paperboard, can be used to make easily recyclable 3D products that replace plastic. The design and development of a Muoto product involves the partici- pation of various specialist teams from Metsä Spring, technology sup- plier Valmet and design partners such as Futupack. “The making of Muoto products starts with wet pulp mass, which en- ables three-dimensional products to be formed with the aid of moulds. This makes the design work quite different from the design of paper- board packages. The designer must know the basic principles of 3D design, the laws of physics, and the restrictions and possibilities of the material and tools,” says Mikko Remes , a designer from Fut- upack. He is part of a larger network of specialists from various fields jointly developing the three-dimensional Muoto products. Paperboard packages are designed two-dimensionally, mean- ing the paperboard sheet is cut, folded and possibly glued into the desired shape. Packaging made from three-dimensional fi- bre products, on the other hand, are designed with a 3D mod- elling programme, and the products are pressed into the desired three-dimensional shape using a mould prepared with a precise mod- elling process. When using Metsä Spring’s new Muoto product for packaging, an en- casing or sleeve made of paperboard can be incorporated, enabling
a high-quality printing surface and branding. The two dif- ferent materials complement each other. Metsä Group is currently looking into the construction of the first com- mercial mill for Muoto products in Rauma.
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