Monash University opens USD 7.6m (AUD 11m) fibre-packaging research centre
Monash University has opened SMaRT-Pack, a five-year AUD 11m (USD 7.6m) research centre developing fibre-based alternatives to single-use plastic packaging, in collaboration with Deakin University and Queensland University of Technology. The centre, funded through the Australian Research Council's Industrial Transformation Training Centre scheme, will work across material development, manufacturing, recycling and end-of-life testing, with eight industry partners and two associations involved alongside international partners in France, Japan and Malaysia.
Why this mattersA five-year, three-university centre with eight industry partners could shorten the route from laboratory fibre barriers to commercial substitutes for single-use plastic packaging.
- SMaRT-Pack was officially opened at Monash's Clayton campus on 6 October 2026.
- The centre is funded at AUD 11m (USD 7.6m) over five years through the ARC's Industrial Transformation Training Centre scheme.
- Led by Monash University with Deakin University and Queensland University of Technology as partners.
- International collaborators include AgroParisTech (France), University of Kyoto (Japan) and Monash Malaysia.
- Eight industry partners and two industry associations are involved alongside the academic partners.
- Research focus includes coatings from forestry and agricultural by-products such as timber waste, wheat straw and sugarcane bagasse as plastic-free moisture and oxygen barriers.