한국어ABOUT PAPFORM · THE CELLUFOAM ORIGIN
A question that began with foamed-paper research led to Cellufoam, a three-dimensional paper-fiber foam material.
PAPFORM
PAPFORM develops and industrializes Cellufoam, a paper-fiber-based foam material intended to deliver protective functions traditionally handled by petroleum-based foamed cushioning through renewable cellulose.
We are not simply making thicker paper. We are building a material platform designed to let paper fiber hold air in a three-dimensional structure, absorb impact and protect products.
ORIGIN FILM
This paper-craft film follows Cellufoam from its starting question through research and industrial development.
THE ORIGIN OF CELLUFOAM
“What if this energy could be held inside the paper, just for a moment?”
Building on earlier foamed-paper research, Professor Cheolhwan Kim and CEO Kyungsik Shin explored whether paper could be made lighter and thicker while delivering functions unlike conventional paper. If paper could hold more air, they believed it could open a new material market.
Wet paper releases a large amount of moisture as steam during drying. The research team questioned this familiar process: what would happen if the steam generated during drying were briefly held inside the paper and then released at once? That question became the decisive starting point for Cellufoam.
The team thought of popcorn. Moisture inside a kernel turns to steam and pressure rises until the shell opens and the volume expands rapidly. Inspired by this analogy, the team hypothesized that steam could also help create a three-dimensional structure within a paper-fiber network.
Building on previous research, full-scale work on three-dimensional paper foaming began in the second half of 2025. When wet paper fiber formed through a pulp-molding process was heated inside a closed mold and the mold opened, the released steam pressure expanded the fiber network into a light, thick and porous structure.
Greater volume alone cannot replace foamed plastics. The three-dimensional shape and foamed form must remain stable, the surface must be smooth enough for commercial use, and the foaming step must be fast enough for production. Under research and validation conditions, the team succeeded in maintaining the 3D shape and foamed form, achieving a smooth surface and bringing the foaming step within three seconds.
CEO Beomjin Kim introduced forming and drying equipment used in the pulp-molding industry in March 2026. This established the foundation for extending the laboratory discovery into a production environment and validating its industrialization potential. Actual cycle time and quality may vary by product geometry, specification, equipment and operating conditions.
Cellufoam is not confined to the conventional paper market. It is intended for markets that need thickness through foaming and functions that require cushioning. It offers a new option in product-protection fields currently served by EPS, EPE, PE foam and PU foam.
EXPANDING POTENTIAL
The formation of a foam structure with recycled paper has confirmed potential in both raw-material sourcing and resource circulation.
INDUSTRY INTEREST
Collaboration and application inquiries continue from large companies that have long explored related technologies as well as businesses that encountered Cellufoam through conferences, seminars and media coverage.
Cellufoam
From petroleum to cellulose. From plastic to nature. An innovation that began in Korea is helping shape the future of sustainable packaging.
Explore Cellufoam technology →