The aim of the BMBF-funded research project Magaverde is to develop an environmentally sustainable printed, surface-treated and microstructured bio-fiber paper. The distinguishing property of the bio-fiber paper, which is also known as Magaverde, is that it is made from plant residues from biogas production and does not require any fresh fibers. The task of IDD is to print biobased inks on the paper using various printing processes – including screen printing, flexographic printing and offset printing – and to assess the quality of both the paper and the printed product. The challenging aspect is that the surface of the bio-fiber paper differs significantly from conventional papers in terms of pick resistance, roughness, absorbency and surface structure. Due to this, the printing inks used must not only be sustainable, i.e. made from bio-based, renewable raw materials, but also adjusted to the substrate.

Possible applications of this printed bio-fiber paper lie in its use as packaging for sustainable products, which is why the lightfastness and abrasion resistance of the print in particular are being investigated at IDD.

The project is being managed by the Gesellschaft für nachhaltige Stoffnutzung (GNS, Halle an der Saale). In addition to IDD, the project partners are BENAS Group (Ottersberg) as the manufacturer of the organic fiber paper, the printing company allesbedruckbar (Merseburg) and Kartonagenwerk Leipzig Land (Großpösna). (Großpösna).