Unlike other fiber bottles on the market, which still rely on plastic caps or liners, Fiber-Bottle is molded in one piece from cellulose fibers – including the screw-thread closure. Fiber-Bottle’s format reduces CO₂ footprints by up to 90% compared with PET or HDPE bottles, according to Papacks. Beyond bottles, Papacks has fiber-based trays in German cinemas, ice containers for fish transport and prototypes for cosmetics and sauces. Compostable by designWhen asked about whether US recycling infrastructure is ready to accept fiber bottles, Schmitz was pragmatic. A call for collaborationSchmitz sees the next phase as building partnerships in the US – both to scale production and to experiment with alternative feedstocks like hemp and seaweed.