What is SilvaFolia?
SilvaFolia is a cellulose-based white pigment developed by Seprify, a Swiss biomaterials startup. It is primarily targeted at the coatings, paints, and inks industry. Made from renewable plant cellulose, it aims to serve as a sustainable alternative to traditional titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and has now entered large-scale commercial trials.
Core Technology & Principle
- Biomimetic Structural Design: The technology draws inspiration from the Cyphochilus beetle. The scales on this beetle's shell feature a porous structure that scatters all wavelengths of visible light, producing a brilliant white appearance. Seprify precisely controls the size and pore structure of cellulose particles to faithfully replicate this physical optical whitening effect.
- Green Raw Material Extraction: Abandoning the energy-intensive chemical synthesis routes of traditional inorganic pigments, Seprify employs patented extraction, separation, and purification processes to obtain natural cellulose from industrial by-products such as pulp and agricultural waste. The production process involves no chemical solvents.
Key Advantages
- Eco-friendly & Safe: The product is 100% naturally derived and biodegradable, containing no chemical solvents. It completely avoids the potential genotoxicity risks associated with nano-sized titanium dioxide, aligning with increasingly stringent global chemical regulations.
- Excellent Performance: It delivers exceptionally high whiteness and outstanding opacity while being fully compatible with existing industrial manufacturing and recycling systems. This means downstream customers do not need to significantly adjust their existing formulations or production equipment.
Multi-Sector Application Portfolio
Beyond SilvaFolia for industrial use, based on the same biomimetic cellulose technology platform, Seprify has developed specialized product lines for different industries:
Food & Pharmaceutical Whitening
Representative product: SilvaAlba. After the EU banned titanium dioxide as a food additive due to safety concerns, this product offers an ideal natural whitening solution for candies, chewing gum, coffee creamers, and plant-based milk — without requiring novel food approval.
Personal Care & Sunscreen
Representative product: SilvaLuma. As a 100% natural source sunscreen booster, it achieves efficient light scattering within extremely thin coatings, effectively enhancing the SPF value of sun care products, meeting the demand for clean beauty.
Commercialization Progress
Seprify has completed Series A financing, with investments from strategic partners including Inter IKEA Group. The funds are being used to scale annual production capacity to several hundred tons. In Europe, Seprify is collaborating closely with commodity distributor Grolman Group, leveraging their formulation development expertise and customer support network to accelerate the commercial rollout of SilvaFolia across European and Turkish markets.
