On June 23, the Cellulose Valley Chair organized an online round table devoted to a novel theme: the embellishment of cellulose for luxury packaging. Moderated by René Romero Lezama, research engineer and PhD student at the Chair, the event brought together three speakers with a wide range of expertise: Frank Gana, CEO and Co-founder of (RE)SET, Marie Gobert, designer and paper sculptor, and Julien Bras, holder of the Cellulose Valley Chair. Together, they explored the potential of cellulose as a sustainable, high-quality alternative in the demanding luxury goods sector.
When simplicity becomes luxury
In the world of luxury packaging, sensory experience and perceived quality are essential. Far from the cliched image of paper as rustic and fragile, the speakers highlighted the material's profound technical evolution. Thanks to advances in dry-molding, surface treatment and shape design, cellulose is no longer confined to utilitarian uses: it has become a medium for elegance, storytelling and innovation.
Marie Gobert reminded us that “luxury is not superfluity, but uniqueness and simplicity”. For her, cellulose gives meaning back to the object, combining creativity and simplicity. Today's luxury is no longer necessarily based on the brilliance of plastic or the weight of glass, but on a more refined and responsible aesthetic.
Reconciling design, technology and sustainability
Julien Bras emphasized the technical challenges still to be met - resistance to humidity, transparency, feel - while highlighting the potential of cellulose to offer a new sensory experience.
Frank Gana, for his part, shared his experience in the field, evoking the reluctance that still exists on the marketing side, despite the growing interest of designers and consumers in sustainable materials. He stressed the need for greater dialogue between engineers, designers and marketing teams to remove the obstacles to the adoption of cellulose in the luxury goods sector.
Towards a circular future
One of the key lessons to be learned from this round table was the convergence of visions: cellulose materials, long perceived as secondary, are now in a position to embody a reinvented luxury - more responsible, more sensitive, and resolutely forward-looking. With changing consumer expectations, new regulations and technological advances, all stakeholders are unanimous: cellulose is set to play a major role in tomorrow's packaging.
The Cellulose Valley Chair is a perfect illustration of the boldest ideas to emerge from the alliance between science, design and industry. By questioning uses, pushing back technical limits and valuing materials for what they are, it paves the way for more responsible luxury. “Making cellulose beautiful and desirable” is no longer a mere aesthetic ambition, but a concrete lever for accelerating the transition to biosourced, circular and meaningful solutions.
