NATUREPLAST

Their core work

NATUREPLAST is a French SME specializing in bio-based plastics and biopolymer materials, headquartered in Normandy. They develop bio-composite materials from agricultural by-products and design sustainable food packaging solutions — from eco-friendly barrier packaging to home-compostable containers. Their core business sits at the intersection of polymer science and circular bioeconomy, turning organic waste streams and crop residues into functional plastic alternatives for the food and packaging industries.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2016-2019), NATUREPLAST focused heavily on materials development — turning agricultural and municipal waste into bio-based plastics and chemical building blocks like bioethanol, bioethylene, and PHA. From 2019 onward, their work shifted downstream toward application and systems thinking: food waste reduction, smart labelling, compostable packaging, and short supply chains. The trajectory shows a company moving from "can we make bio-plastic?" to "how do we deploy it in real food systems?"

NATUREPLAST is moving from upstream polymer R&D toward full food-system integration — expect them to pursue projects combining packaging, shelf-life extension, and digital traceability.

How they like to work

NATUREPLAST always participates as a partner, never as coordinator — they bring specialist materials expertise into larger consortia rather than leading projects themselves. With 104 unique partners across 20 countries in just 7 projects, they consistently join large Innovation Action consortia (6 of 7 projects are IAs), meaning they work within teams of 15+ organizations. This makes them a reliable, low-friction technical contributor who integrates well into big European partnerships.

Extensive network of 104 unique partners across 20 countries built through large IA consortia, giving them broad European reach despite their SME size. Their consistent participation in food and bioeconomy projects means strong ties to agri-food research institutes and packaging industry players across the EU.

What sets them apart

NATUREPLAST occupies a rare niche as an SME that bridges the gap between biorefinery research and commercial food packaging — most bio-plastic companies focus on either feedstock or end-product, not both. Their progression from waste valorisation chemistry to smart packaging deployment means they understand the full chain from biomass to supermarket shelf. For consortium builders, they offer a credible industry voice that can translate lab-scale biopolymer work into market-ready packaging formats.

Highlights from their portfolio

• URBIOFIN
  Semi-industrial scale demonstration of integrated biorefinery converting municipal solid waste into bioethanol, bioethylene, PHA, and biomethane — their most technically ambitious project.
• SISTERS
  Their most recent and strategically different project, moving into food waste reduction with smart labelling, QR codes, and short supply chains — signals a new direction.
• BIO-PLASTICS EUROPE
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 294,000) and broadest environmental scope, addressing bio-based plastic sustainability across marine and environmental dimensions.