SITTINGBOURNE, UK
10 June 2026
SgMA Launches Solgelica® paperboard to Eliminate Synthetic and 'Forever Chemicals' in Paper Packaging
Key Takeaways:
With the European Union’s strict Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) deadline fast approaching on 12th August 2026, global brands in food and non-food sectors face an immediate ban on PFAS ("forever chemicals") and a requirement for 100% recyclable packaging.
Solgelica® is a patented, award-winning technology that uses silica sand extracts to provide paper packaging with a sustainable liquid barrier without a single drop of synthetic polymers or "forever chemicals."
Solgelica® paperboard eliminates the toxic compromise between packaging performance and environmental destruction, allowing single-use packaging to safely return to nature.
Following over a decade of extensive research & development, Solgelica® paperboard is now officially available for global, industrial-scale commercial deployment through SgMA’s German subsidiary, Solgelica GmbH.
Sol-gel Materials & Applications Ltd (SgMA) has officially announced the global commercial launch of Solgelica® paperboard, a groundbreaking product made with Solgelica® liquid barrier which will transform the global packaging industry. After more than a decade of research, testing, and scaling, paperboard with the patented liquid-barrier technology is now commercially available worldwide from SgMA’s German subsidiary, Solgelica GmbH. Solgelica® paperboard finally offers the industry a high-performance alternative to synthetic polymers and harmful polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
For decades, brand owners and the packaging sector have faced a hard choice: (i) use synthetic polymer liners that perform perfectly but persist in ecosystems for centuries; or (ii) opt for "eco-friendly" alternatives that either fail under real-world conditions or quietly contain hidden synthetic polymers or forever chemicals. From 12th August 2026, the newly enacted EU Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR) will enforce a strict ban on PFAS in food-contact packaging, putting global brands and packaging manufacturers in a race for compliant solutions that meet the high expectations of consumers.
Over the past 14 years, the SgMA team has engineered a completely non-toxic barrier against liquids by using natural silica sand extracts with unmodified natural materials through advanced sol-gel chemistry. Solgelica® paperboard is impermeable to liquids without synthetic polymers. Once used, packaging made with Solgelica® paperboard harmlessly breaks down and biodegrades back into nature without harming people or the planet.
“The regulatory clock is ticking and there isn’t a better time for us to launch Solgelica® paperboard to aid the market in implementing the big change that the industry has long been waiting for” says Dr. Fanya Ismail, Founder and CEO of SgMA. “The EU PPWR deadline means that brands can no longer ignore the impact of single-use packaging on nature and human-life. We are launching Solgelica® paperboard now at scale at the exact moment the market needs a drop-in and fully compliant solution that will give the performance of traditional barrier coatings.”
Solgelica® is a classic tale of disruptive innovation. Dr. Fanya Ismail, a chemist with a PhD from the University of Manchester, designed the original Solgelica® molecules in 2012 at her kitchen table. Since these humble beginnings, Dr Ismail has grown the technology into a globally recognised material platform. The Solgelica® technology platform is patented and covered by a robust intellectual property portfolio around the world. Solgelica® paperboard is the first exciting product from the Solgelica® technology platform.
The Solgelica® technology platform has already captured global interest and has been recognised by industry leaders. Solgelica® has been recognised through the distinction of the MassChallenge Switzerland’s Diamond Award in 2020, Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Award in 2019, and by its placement as a global finalist in the NextGen Cup Challenge held by Starbucks and McDonald’s in 2018.
Solgelica® paperboard is now available on an industrial scale and Solgelica GmbH is welcoming inquiries and partnership discussions from global brands, packaging manufacturers, converters, stakeholders, and anybody with an interest in changing the world of packaging away from synthetic polymers and PFAS. We invite interested parties to reach to us via our contact form at www.solgelica.com.
About SgMA
SgMA (Sol-gel Materials & Applications Ltd) is the parent company of Solgelica GmBH, manufacturer of Solgelica® paperboard based in Germany. The SgMA Group was founded in 2017 by Dr Fanya Ismail. The group specialises in developing sol-gel technology solutions to address global sustainable challenges. For more information, visit www.sol-gel.co.uk.
Media Contact:
Dr. Fanya Ismail
Founder and CEO
contact@solgelica.com
SITTINGBOURNE, UK
10 June 2026
SgMA Launches Solgelica® paperboard to Eliminate Synthetic and 'Forever Chemicals' in Paper Packaging
Key Takeaways:
With the European Union’s strict Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) deadline fast approaching on 12th August 2026, global brands in food and non-food sectors face an immediate ban on PFAS ("forever chemicals") and a requirement for 100% recyclable packaging.
Solgelica® is a patented, award-winning technology that uses silica sand extracts to provide paper packaging with a sustainable liquid barrier without a single drop of synthetic polymers or "forever chemicals."
Solgelica® paperboard eliminates the toxic compromise between packaging performance and environmental destruction, allowing single-use packaging to safely return to nature.
Following over a decade of extensive research & development, Solgelica® paperboard is now officially available for global, industrial-scale commercial deployment through SgMA’s German subsidiary, Solgelica GmbH.
Sol-gel Materials & Applications Ltd (SgMA) has officially announced the global commercial launch of Solgelica® paperboard, a groundbreaking product made with Solgelica® liquid barrier which will transform the global packaging industry. After more than a decade of research, testing, and scaling, paperboard with the patented liquid-barrier technology is now commercially available worldwide from SgMA’s German subsidiary, Solgelica GmbH. Solgelica® paperboard finally offers the industry a high-performance alternative to synthetic polymers and harmful polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
For decades, brand owners and the packaging sector have faced a hard choice: (i) use synthetic polymer liners that perform perfectly but persist in ecosystems for centuries; or (ii) opt for "eco-friendly" alternatives that either fail under real-world conditions or quietly contain hidden synthetic polymers or forever chemicals. From 12th August 2026, the newly enacted EU Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR) will enforce a strict ban on PFAS in food-contact packaging, putting global brands and packaging manufacturers in a race for compliant solutions that meet the high expectations of consumers.
Over the past 14 years, the SgMA team has engineered a completely non-toxic barrier against liquids by using natural silica sand extracts with unmodified natural materials through advanced sol-gel chemistry. Solgelica® paperboard is impermeable to liquids without synthetic polymers. Once used, packaging made with Solgelica® paperboard harmlessly breaks down and biodegrades back into nature without harming people or the planet.
“The regulatory clock is ticking and there isn’t a better time for us to launch Solgelica® paperboard to aid the market in implementing the big change that the industry has long been waiting for” says Dr. Fanya Ismail, Founder and CEO of SgMA. “The EU PPWR deadline means that brands can no longer ignore the impact of single-use packaging on nature and human-life. We are launching Solgelica® paperboard now at scale at the exact moment the market needs a drop-in and fully compliant solution that will give the performance of traditional barrier coatings.”
Solgelica® is a classic tale of disruptive innovation. Dr. Fanya Ismail, a chemist with a PhD from the University of Manchester, designed the original Solgelica® molecules in 2012 at her kitchen table. Since these humble beginnings, Dr Ismail has grown the technology into a globally recognised material platform. The Solgelica® technology platform is patented and covered by a robust intellectual property portfolio around the world. Solgelica® paperboard is the first exciting product from the Solgelica® technology platform.
The Solgelica® technology platform has already captured global interest and has been recognised by industry leaders. Solgelica® has been recognised through the distinction of the MassChallenge Switzerland’s Diamond Award in 2020, Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Award in 2019, and by its placement as a global finalist in the NextGen Cup Challenge held by Starbucks and McDonald’s in 2018.
Solgelica® paperboard is now available on an industrial scale and Solgelica GmbH is welcoming inquiries and partnership discussions from global brands, packaging manufacturers, converters, stakeholders, and anybody with an interest in changing the world of packaging away from synthetic polymers and PFAS. We invite interested parties to reach to us via our contact form at www.solgelica.com.
About SgMA
SgMA (Sol-gel Materials & Applications Ltd) is the parent company of Solgelica GmBH, manufacturer of Solgelica® paperboard based in Germany. The SgMA Group was founded in 2017 by Dr Fanya Ismail. The group specialises in developing sol-gel technology solutions to address global sustainable challenges. For more information, visit www.sol-gel.co.uk.
Media Contact:
Dr. Fanya Ismail
Founder and CEO
contact@solgelica.com
SITTINGBOURNE, UK
10 June 2026
SgMA Launches Solgelica® paperboard to Eliminate Synthetic and 'Forever Chemicals' in Paper Packaging
Key Takeaways:
With the European Union’s strict Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) deadline fast approaching on 12th August 2026, global brands in food and non-food sectors face an immediate ban on PFAS ("forever chemicals") and a requirement for 100% recyclable packaging.
Solgelica® is a patented, award-winning technology that uses silica sand extracts to provide paper packaging with a sustainable liquid barrier without a single drop of synthetic polymers or "forever chemicals."
Solgelica® paperboard eliminates the toxic compromise between packaging performance and environmental destruction, allowing single-use packaging to safely return to nature.
Following over a decade of extensive research & development, Solgelica® paperboard is now officially available for global, industrial-scale commercial deployment through SgMA’s German subsidiary, Solgelica GmbH.
Sol-gel Materials & Applications Ltd (SgMA) has officially announced the global commercial launch of Solgelica® paperboard, a groundbreaking product made with Solgelica® liquid barrier which will transform the global packaging industry. After more than a decade of research, testing, and scaling, paperboard with the patented liquid-barrier technology is now commercially available worldwide from SgMA’s German subsidiary, Solgelica GmbH. Solgelica® paperboard finally offers the industry a high-performance alternative to synthetic polymers and harmful polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
For decades, brand owners and the packaging sector have faced a hard choice: (i) use synthetic polymer liners that perform perfectly but persist in ecosystems for centuries; or (ii) opt for "eco-friendly" alternatives that either fail under real-world conditions or quietly contain hidden synthetic polymers or forever chemicals. From 12th August 2026, the newly enacted EU Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR) will enforce a strict ban on PFAS in food-contact packaging, putting global brands and packaging manufacturers in a race for compliant solutions that meet the high expectations of consumers.
Over the past 14 years, the SgMA team has engineered a completely non-toxic barrier against liquids by using natural silica sand extracts with unmodified natural materials through advanced sol-gel chemistry. Solgelica® paperboard is impermeable to liquids without synthetic polymers. Once used, packaging made with Solgelica® paperboard harmlessly breaks down and biodegrades back into nature without harming people or the planet.
“The regulatory clock is ticking and there isn’t a better time for us to launch Solgelica® paperboard to aid the market in implementing the big change that the industry has long been waiting for” says Dr. Fanya Ismail, Founder and CEO of SgMA. “The EU PPWR deadline means that brands can no longer ignore the impact of single-use packaging on nature and human-life. We are launching Solgelica® paperboard now at scale at the exact moment the market needs a drop-in and fully compliant solution that will give the performance of traditional barrier coatings.”
Solgelica® is a classic tale of disruptive innovation. Dr. Fanya Ismail, a chemist with a PhD from the University of Manchester, designed the original Solgelica® molecules in 2012 at her kitchen table. Since these humble beginnings, Dr Ismail has grown the technology into a globally recognised material platform. The Solgelica® technology platform is patented and covered by a robust intellectual property portfolio around the world. Solgelica® paperboard is the first exciting product from the Solgelica® technology platform.
The Solgelica® technology platform has already captured global interest and has been recognised by industry leaders. Solgelica® has been recognised through the distinction of the MassChallenge Switzerland’s Diamond Award in 2020, Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Award in 2019, and by its placement as a global finalist in the NextGen Cup Challenge held by Starbucks and McDonald’s in 2018.
Solgelica® paperboard is now available on an industrial scale and Solgelica GmbH is welcoming inquiries and partnership discussions from global brands, packaging manufacturers, converters, stakeholders, and anybody with an interest in changing the world of packaging away from synthetic polymers and PFAS. We invite interested parties to reach to us via our contact form at www.solgelica.com.
About SgMA
SgMA (Sol-gel Materials & Applications Ltd) is the parent company of Solgelica GmBH, manufacturer of Solgelica® paperboard based in Germany. The SgMA Group was founded in 2017 by Dr Fanya Ismail. The group specialises in developing sol-gel technology solutions to address global sustainable challenges. For more information, visit www.sol-gel.co.uk.
Media Contact:
Dr. Fanya Ismail
Founder and CEO
contact@solgelica.com