The furniture and interior sectors still rely heavily on wood-based panels such as medium-density fiberboard, which typically depend on virgin timber and formaldehyde-based adhesives. Meanwhile, coconut-producing countries burn or discard vast quantities of husks: in the Philippines alone, coconut farming generates around 5 million tons of organic waste a year, of which only 5 to 10% is recycled.

Biel-based NaturLoop, founded in 2020, offers an alternative with Cocoboard, a formaldehyde-free panel made primarily from coconut husks bonded with a bio-based resin. Natural fibers are extracted from the husks and pressed with heat into sheet panels for use in furniture and interior architecture. The first step of Cocoboard manufacturing occurs at the company's facilities in the Philippines, where coconut husks are collected and undergo initial processing. Production is then completed at NaturLoop’s partner facilities in Sweden and, in the future, Thailand. 

Cocoboard runs on the same industrial lines that already produce wood panels, so manufacturers can adopt it without building new plants. NaturLoop says the panel substitutes for virgin timber and lowers embodied carbon compared with conventional alternatives. Further, by turning a discarded byproduct into a marketable material, the company aims to create income for coconut-farming communities and give timber-importing countries such as the Philippines a domestic alternative, curbing deforestation. 

Targeting European customers first

NaturLoop's early market is Europe, where Cocoboard has launched as a niche product for sustainability-minded buyers. The company is now selling through distribution partners in Switzerland, Germany and the UK, and the company is actively expanding its network across key European markets. This year’s revenue is expected to be in the five-figure range, as the company’s main focus has been on industrial validation, customer qualification and preparing for commercial production. In the coming years, NaturLoop is switching its focus to growth, projecting revenues of around CHF 0.5 million in 2027 and more than CHF 1 million in 2028. 

Alongside distribution, the company runs prototyping and concept-development projects with furniture manufacturers and designers. The company is collaborating closely with architects and material consultants who are interested in using Cocoboard in their upcoming projects. Particularly, hospitality and retail interiors have shown strong interest in the material. In all, NaturLoop reports more than 100 qualified customer relationships across 22 countries and more than 15 active customer-development projects. 

Seed round planned

NaturLoop has secured more than CHF 2.9 million through a mix of grants, research funding, innovation programs and private capital, with backers including Venture Kick and Kickfund. The company is now raising a seed round of CHF 1.5-2 million to expand the team with three to five full-time hires, mainly in sales and research, and to enable regular commercial production through its manufacturing partners in Sweden and Thailand, with an initial annual production target of at least 300 m³. 

Longer term, NaturLoop plans to expand Cocoboard production and distribution globally, as well as broadening its portfolio with other coconut-based products, such as acoustic panels, and newly developed materials from other agricultural byproducts. Early research and development with rice straw is already ongoing.

(www.startupticker.ch)

Photo: NaturLoop's partner production facility in Sweden.