Project description
Deforestation problems in tropical countries combined with governing strict regulations on the formaldehyde content of wood panels has resulted to companies searching for alternative materials. NaturLoop aims to boost the availability of sustainable furniture and construction materials with the development of Cocoboard. The biocomposite is made from coconut husk and bio-based adhesive and produced using an innovative production concept that transforms agricultural waste into high performance panels. Cocoboard has superior mechanical properties to commercially available panels due to its 100% bio-based composition, high resistance to wood-decaying insects (termites) and zero formaldehyde emissions (comparable to solid wood), thus, satisfying the highest international requirements in the field. In addition, the involvement and integration of rural farming communities in the value chain, increases the livelihood of coconut farmers. NaturLoop plans to launch a production facility in the Philippines to validate its production technology to service local and export markets.
Status/Results
The InnoBooster project will be dedicated to finalizing the key activities required to launch Cocoboard at the industrial scale. This includes finalizing a coconut husk supply chain in the Philippines with support of local partners for consolidation and delivery of raw materials. In addition, NaturLoop will boost its prototyping capabilities by launching prototyping projects with customers to ensure sufficient product demand for industrial sized panels. Finally, the team will finalize its custom production technology to through a series of industrial trials with machinery producers and internal testing with support of its host university, Bern University of Applied Sciences.
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Persons involved in the project
Last update to this project presentation 04.03.2022