An organic paper pot to grow plants sustainably

Ellepot, Ahlstrom-Munksjö, and OrganoClick have partnered to provide 100% biobased and biodegradable solutions to the horticulture market. Organic 2.0 paper pot is an entirely organic-based solution to grow crops on an industrial scale. The new product has allowed the companies to enter the organic crop segment, which is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years. 

Organic 2.0 results from a close collaboration between Ellepot, OrganoClick, and Ahlstrom-Munksjö's R&D team. After years of co-development, the three companies created a sustainable and more economical solution to grow plants by using paper pots planted directly into the soil. The pots degrade away after time which allows for the crop's roots to penetrate through the media and supports the healthy growth of the plants. Organic 2.0 paper pot consists of 100% fully compostable and biodegradable materials and has a decomposition time of 6 to 8 weeks.

"Working with our suppliers in co-developing smarter materials for the Ellepot customized solution supports our vision to help customers improve production efficiency, optimize handling and deliver increased yields and lower costs of goods produced. Minimum effort, maximum impact being the key feature to a smarter solution, we trust the co-development will continue to provide new and sustainable materials for the future," says Lars Steen Pedersen, CEO Ellepot A/S, Denmark.

"At Ahlstrom Munksjö, we are always looking for ways to innovate further in sustainability. By partnering with Ellepot, we have been proud to serve the horticulture market together through their sustainability-driven business model. Now, after several years of collaboration, we are excited to have found a way to drive sustainability innovation even further through this game-changing new product. We aim to continue our collaboration into new market segments, where we believe this new product will open up opportunities for all of us," says Pierre Mary, VP, Nonwovens and Abrasive, Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Filtration and Performance business.  

Binder material
OrganoClick delivers the biobased and biodegradable binder material for Organic 2.0, Ahlstrom-Munksjö produces the nonwoven paper, and Ellepot creates the final product.

"We are very happy with the collaboration with Ahlstrom-Munksjö and Ellepot, which has resulted in a new fossil-free, and biodegradable nonwoven material used in Ellepots plant pot. Working together with partners in the whole value chain is key when bringing new eco-friendly products to the market. We are proud of that we, by joint efforts, have been able to replace current synthetic binders in the material with our 100 % biobased and biodegradable binder", adds Mårten Hellberg, CEO OrganoClick. 

Organic 2.0 has been signed up for Sustainability Advancement Award, Short-Life Product Achievement Award, and Nonwoven Product Achievement Award in the IDEA Achievement Awards taking place this year. In addition, Ellepot, Ahlstrom-Munksjö, and OrganoClick are already planning the next steps in the collaboration. The goal is to develop more synthetic-fiber-free products and expand into other organic crop segments which require longer degradation times, such as landscape or forestry.