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About
silphium.

Silphium was previously used exclusively as an energy crop in bioenergy production. Now, cascading use means that the fibers of the silphium plant can be used to produce sustainable paper and packaging products.

Versatility has a name: Silphium

Silphium has been cultivated in Germany for a number of years now, so far as an energy crop used to produce power, gas and heat. The plant is known for its wide range of benefits:

Energy Crop

used to generate biogas

Perennial culture

that can be used for at least ten years

Protection against flooding and erosion

thanks to consant soil cover

Humus accumulation and carbon sequestration

in the ground

Long flowering period

and habitat for insects

Alternative fibers

as a raw material for paper production

Promoting indigenous ecosystems

and biodiversity

Good nutrient efficiency

and less use of pesticides

Wherever silphium blossoms, so too does opportunity

Originally from North America, silphium is now cultivated on some 10,500 hectares (2022) of land in Germany. The energy crop is growing in popularity in other European countries, too.

From silphium cultivation to silphie silage

It all begins when silphium plants are cultivated in a specially developed sowing process. In the fall of each year, the energy crop is harvested and preserved using an ensiling process to produce silage that is then available year-round as an input for treatment as fibrous material and to generate energy in biogas plants.

The silphie fiber – a new raw material

To obtain our silphie natural fibers, the harvested raw material then undergoes a multi-stage process. The raw material for fiber-based products is created through a biothermal process and fiber fabrication. No chemicals at all are used and it just takes a small amount of water and energy.

From silphie fiber to silphie paper

The paper mill is where our ecological fiber alternative is mixed with conventional pulp or recycled paper to produce our silphie paper. We sell paper and board with a silphie-fiber content of at least 35 %.

Environmentally friendly packaging solution

Our paper products – SilphiePaper, SilphieLiner and SilphieBoard – are suited to a wide range of different packaging applications for use in food and non-food products alike. The packaging experts at our Packaging Hub work with our customers to develop innovative packaging designs tailored to their unique needs.

Cascading use: coming full circle

The plant by-products of fiber processing are used as a fermentation substrate in biogas plants and help generate power, heat and gas. The fermentation residue from the biogas process is reused as a fertilizer in the fields, thereby closing the loop.

Our Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for Silphie Paper

To evaluate the environmental impact of our Silphie fiber and Silphie paper, the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT has conducted a new, independent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This assessment examines the entire life cycle—from sowing and processing to the finished paper (calculated using a grammage of 115 g/m² as an example). The analysis is based on current production data and the latest background information (as of 2025).

What is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?

An LCA is a systematic analysis of the environmental impacts throughout a product’s entire life cycle. The goal is to present key indicators, such as $CO_2$ emissions, transparently and make them comparable. This allows us to identify potential for improvement, make informed decisions, and credibly evaluate ecological impacts.

The analysis shows that Silphie fibers and Silphie paper offer significant advantages over traditional wood-based fibers, particularly from a climate perspective. Thanks to our optimized process chain, where fiber extraction occurs only after biogas production, the plant is utilized with exceptional efficiency.

The environmental impact of Silphie fiber results in
-257 kg CO₂-eq./t.

That is 245 kg CO₂-eq./t less than unbleached cellulose.

Compared to secondary fibers, this is 431 kg CO₂-eq./t less.

Silphie paper with secondary fiber has an environmental impact of 212 kg CO₂-eq./t.

Compared to testliner, emissions are 66% lower.

Emissions from Silphie fibers with primary fiber amount to
100 kg CO₂-eq./t.

This corresponds to 73% less than kraftliner.

Our products

OutNature offers a wide range of natural-fiber products, from various grades of paper through to sustainable silphie-based packaging designs. We sell both off-the-shelf products and custom solutions.

About
silphium.

Versatility has a name: Silphium

Wherever silphium blossoms, so too does opportunity