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Waste No More: 3D-Printing with Natural Fibres

Underused fibers become 3D-print feedstock—fueling a circular economy and local innovation.

What we do?

BIO-2-PRINT transforms underused flax, hemp and plant residues into high-performance, customizable 3D-printing materials—driving a circular economy, cutting waste and sparking new opportunities for businesses across the Northern Periphery and Arctic.

BIO-2-PRINT is uniting six partners across Finland, Ireland and Sweden to unlock the hidden value in underutilised natural fibres. Every year, tonnes of flax stalks, hemp hurds and other plant residues end up as low-value byproducts or waste—resources that BIO-2-PRINT will transform into high-performance materials for tomorrow’s industries.

At the heart of our work is the development of novel composite feedstocks for industrial 3d printing. Through lab-scale research and pilot-line trials, we’re combining recycled concrete and polymer binders with natural fibres to create tailor-made pellets and powders. These can be printed into structural components and bespoke parts for construction, manufacturing tools, and even architectural elements, bridging the gap between circular resource use and cutting-edge digital fabrication.

But our ambition goes beyond materials. BIO-2-PRINT is building a fully localised value chain in the Northern Periphery and Arctic region:

  • Collection & preprocessing: Collaborating with farmers to gather and refine fibre waste streams.

  • Recycling & compounding: Turning biomass into polymer- and concrete-based feedstock in smart manufacturing facilities.

  • Design & demonstration: Co-creating open-access design libraries and printing real-world prototypes alongside regional SMEs.

  • Knowledge exchange: Hosting workshops, webinars and field trials to accelerate uptake and share best practices.

By blending recycled inputs with underused natural fibres, we’re cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, lowering material costs and shifting away from “take-make-dispose” models toward a genuine circular economy. Local businesses gain new revenue streams—from fibre collection services to high-value product manufacturing—while communities benefit from jobs, reduced transport footprints and a stronger regional identity.