Can Biodegradable Film Solve the Multilayer Problem?

Peak Nano is testing a multilayer alternative that promises performance without the landfill legacy

13 Feb 2026

A quiet shift may be taking place on grocery store shelves.

For decades, multilayer plastic films have protected everything from shredded cheese to snack bars. By bonding different plastics into a single structure, manufacturers block oxygen and moisture, keeping food fresher for longer. The downside is stark. Those same layers that preserve food also make the packaging nearly impossible to recycle.

Now Peak Nano, an advanced materials company, believes it has a way forward.

The company is developing a biodegradable film built from thousands of ultra thin layers. The goal is simple to state and hard to achieve: match the barrier strength of traditional multilayer plastics while offering a better end of life outcome. Independent validation is still underway, and true performance parity remains a development target rather than a finished claim.

For now, the material sits in the prototype and pilot phase. Commercial plans are still taking shape. Chief Executive Brian Clark has said the film is being designed to run on existing packaging lines, a detail that could prove decisive. In a cost sensitive industry, compatibility with installed equipment often matters as much as the material itself.

Regional backing from the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub adds weight to the effort. Institutional support can speed research and reduce early stage risk. Still, scale up and cost competitiveness remain the real tests.

The broader market is shifting, too. State packaging laws are tightening. Retailers and brands are under pressure to reduce waste footprints. None of that guarantees adoption of a single solution, but it does raise the bar for what packaging must deliver.

Questions linger. Biodegradability claims will need rigorous verification. Performance across storage, transport, and varied food categories must be proven. And manufacturing economics will ultimately decide whether the idea thrives or stalls.

Over the next 12 to 24 months, pilot programs are expected to provide answers. If results hold, biodegradable multilayer films could move from promising concept to practical tool.

In packaging, hope is common. Proof is rare. Peak Nano now has to deliver it.