Moorim P&P wins corporate award at Korea's Green Product ceremony, first in paper industry

Moorim P&P announced Wednesday that its eco-friendly "moohae" pulp mold product, which uses a water-based biodegradable coating, has been named a 2026 Korea Green Product of the Year. The recognition makes the company the first in the paper industry to receive the corporate award for five consecutive years, having produced five green product selections since its first win in 2021.

Moorim P&P is the only company in South Korea that produces natural virgin pulp domestically. It has consistently developed paper- and pulp-based products — including eco-friendly paper, pulp mold packaging and paper wet wipes — as alternatives to plastic.

The moohae pulp mold selected this year is a food packaging container that applies an eco-friendly, biodegradable water-based coating to both the interior and exterior of a natural pulp mold vessel. Moorim P&P collaborated with Nanu, a company holding patents in pulp mold coating technology, to achieve uniform double-sided coating for the first time in South Korea.

The product is the first double-coated paper food container to receive recyclability certification from the Korea Environment Corporation, a distinction tied to its water-based coating. It can be sorted and disposed of as paper waste after use. Compared with conventional pulp mold, it reduces water vapor permeability by about 80 percent, improving preservation of fresh foods such as meat, seafood and produce. Enhanced oil and heat resistance also makes it suitable for ready-to-cook meals and home meal replacement containers.

As the EU tightens packaging regulations and South Korea expands policies to reduce single-use plastics, the market for eco-friendly paper and pulp-based packaging is growing rapidly. Pulp mold products that are both recyclable and biodegradable are finding broader application, particularly in food packaging, prompting the paper industry to accelerate development of plastic-substitute materials and advance eco-friendly technology.

Moorim P&P operates South Korea's largest pulp mold production facility, capable of producing up to 10 million round plates per month using domestically sourced natural virgin pulp. A process that feeds freshly produced slurry-state pulp directly into production enhances product strength and durability, and the company has obtained the highest-grade biodegradability certification from a European certification body.

"It is thanks to consumers who have consistently chosen eco-friendly products made from Moorim's pulp and paper that we were able to receive the five-year corporate award," said Yeo Cheol-woo, head of Moorim P&P's pulp mold business. "We will continue to expand our lineup of products that combine the quality and environmental credentials needed to replace plastic."