Illig and Suedpack Deliver Compostable, Biobased Food Trays Matching Polypropylene Performance

Illig Maschinenbau and Suedpack have teamed up to prove that thermoformed food packaging can be fully compostable, predominantly biobased, and still meet the performance demands of today’s market.

Project Overview

The collaboration aligns with the growing global demand for compostable and biobased packaging, especially for food products that contain organic residues—materials that are notoriously difficult to recycle mechanically. By offering industrially compostable containers, the packaging can be sent to certified composting facilities rather than incinerated or landfilled.

The result is a heat‑sealable tray with a lid, suitable for vegetarian, vegan, and dairy foods such as yogurt or cheese. The product is constructed mainly from BASF’s Ecovio®—a certified compostable (DIN EN 13432) blend of Ecoflex biodegradable aliphatic copolyester and 45 % PLA—dyed green for a natural aesthetic.

Materials & Process

Suedpack produced the film via extrusion and engineered a laminate lid film that is also industrially compostable. Illig designed and operated the thermoforming tool, shaping the trays from the film and sealing the lid. The final containers feature thin walls that faithfully replicate the mold’s details and can be produced at speeds comparable to conventional polypropylene packaging.

The Ecovio bioplastic has been specially optimized for extrusion and thermoforming. It can be processed on standard mono‑ or co‑extrusion lines into films with or without an oxygen barrier. The material boasts a high heat deflection temperature of up to 95 °C (203 °F), is food‑grade certified, and offers mechanical properties on par with PP.

The lid film is a multilayer, partially transparent laminate composed of PLA and brown paper. All components comply with DIN EN 13432, are heat‑sealable with other PLA‑based materials, and may optionally include a barrier layer.

Performance & Design

According to Illig’s Technology Center, the thermoforming tool can run at the same speed as with polypropylene, while delivering intricate design features—such as the “Vegan Burger” lettering embedded in the tray’s bottom—without compromising structural integrity.

Expert Insights

Dr. Jürgen Betz, R&D Extrusion Lead at Suedpack, noted, “Our partnership with Illig demonstrated that Ecovio films can be produced efficiently on standard extrusion lines and maintain excellent thermoforming characteristics.”

Sven Engelmann, Head of Illig’s Technology Center, added, “This joint effort shows that certified compostable, biobased plastics can be thermoformed on standard machines, opening new design possibilities for sustainable packaging.”