New funding gives Nfinite a shot at replacing plastic film with high-barrier paper — but the hard part is scale

Nfinite announced today that it has raised new funding to scale a paper-based packaging platform that its founders say can match the barrier performance of plastic films. The company disclosed the round via a press release on Dec. 16, 2025, saying the cash will go to build pilot and commercial lines for an “open-air roll-to-roll” deposition process aimed at food, medical and consumer-packaging uses. Nfinite’s claim is simple: make paper behave like plastic for moisture and oxygen protection while keeping the material widely recyclable.

A practical way to put a protective coat on rolls of paper

Nfinite’s core pitch is a manufacturing trick: instead of coating paper in a vacuum chamber or laminating it to plastic film, it deposits ultra-thin barrier layers directly on paper in open air while the substrate runs continuously on a roll. That roll-to-roll approach is familiar in packaging — it’s how converters handle large volumes cheaply — but doing high-performance barrier chemistry in ambient conditions is harder.

At a high level, Nfinite says it uses a combination of engineered polymers and rapid-deposition techniques to create an even, pinhole-free layer that stops water vapor and oxygen. In practical terms, that aims to let brands switch single-use plastic films for coated paper without losing shelf life for snacks, fresh foods or medical items.

The company emphasizes two claimed advantages: lower capital and operating costs than vacuum systems, and an easier path to retrofit into existing paper converting lines. It also points to patent filings and trade secrets it says protect its chemistry and roll-handling know‑how, though independent technical validation hasn’t been published alongside the funding announcement.

Why big brands and converters care about a high-barrier paper option

The market for flexible packaging — the bags, pouches and wraps around foods, personal care and some medical products — is huge and still growing. Brands are under steady pressure from consumers and regulators to reduce plastic use and improve recyclability. Paper is an obvious substitute, but plain paper won’t stop moisture or oxygen the way films do. That’s why a durable, recyclable paper that keeps products fresh could be attractive.

Key end-markets include snack foods, bakery, single-serve coffee and tea, pet food, and some medical disposables. Large brand owners and converters are the likely first customers: brands want lower-carbon packaging without compromising shelf life; converters want materials they can run on high-speed machines; retailers want packaging that meets recycling targets.

How the fresh capital will be used and how Nfinite plans to make money

According to the company, the funding will fund pilot lines, scale-up of a commercial roll-to-roll coating line, and partnerships with converters to test material runs with real products. Expect money to flow into capital equipment, process engineering and certification work — for example, food-contact approvals and independent life-cycle analyses.

Nfinite’s go-to-market options are common in materials: direct sales of coated paper to converters, tolling relationships where converters send paper to Nfinite for coating, and licensing or equipment sales if its process proves reliable enough for larger manufacturers to adopt in-house. Near-term milestones investors should watch are pilot runs with name-brand customers, completion of a commercial demo line, certification for food contact, and an independent cost comparison showing parity with plastic films.

What the funding means for public packaging and materials players

This round signals continued investor appetite for low-carbon packaging plays. For public companies that make films or paper, the implications are mixed. Converters such as Sealed Air (SEE) and packaging makers such as Berry Global (BERY), WestRock (WRK) and International Paper (IP) could face both risk and opportunity: risk if a true paper substitute erodes film volumes, opportunity if they partner or adopt the tech.

Chemicals and coating suppliers like Dow (DOW), Eastman (EMN) or PPG (PPG) should watch for supplier relationships: if Nfinite’s chemistry requires specialty monomers or crosslinkers, those incumbents could win supply agreements. For equity investors, the practical signals to watch are announced supply contracts with large brands or converters, published unit-cost comparisons versus film, and margin progression when the company scales — those are the levers that move public valuations.

Where the plan could stumble and the data that will change the story

There are clear risks. Technical scale-up is the headline issue: a lab or pilot coating that works in short runs can expose pinholes, adhesion or runnability problems at full speed. Unit economics matter: even if the paper barrier works, it must be cost-competitive with plastic films once raw material, coating and conversion costs are included.

Regulatory and recyclability claims need verification. Certifications for food contact and independent life-cycle analyses that account for real-world recycling streams will be crucial. Adoption hurdles include converter willingness to change machinery settings, brand risk tolerance for product shelf life, and retailer acceptance of new material streams.

Market-moving milestones would include a multi-ton supply agreement with a global brand, independent LCA showing lower net environmental impact than incumbent films, and public data demonstrating cost parity at commercial volumes. Until those appear, investors should treat the story as promising technology with significant execution risk.

In short, Nfinite’s funding closes the gap between a lab idea and a commercial testbed. That’s important — but the bigger question is whether it can repeat performance at industrial speed and cost. If it can, several big names in packaging and chemicals will need to decide whether to compete, partner or adopt the technology.

Sources

• prnewswire.com