The development of zelfo was based on a review on technologies for the production of "papier mache" in the second half of the 19th century. However, in contrast to "papier mache" Zelfo does not contain any additional bonding agent. Potential raw materials for the production of Zelfo include various plants and wastes with a high cellulose content (e.g., hemp, flax, waste paper). The first production step is a refining process, in which the raw materials are simultaneously hackled and ground and mixed with water. The result of this process is a microfiberpulp with a solid content of 1 to 15 m%. which is subsequently predried, cast or molded into a final shape and dried. Due to the possible variations in raw materials and in the production process, properties of Zelfo can be varied over a certain range. For example, values for density from 0.5 to 1.5 g/cm(-3), for tensile modulus from 1500 to 6550 MPa and for tensile strength from 7 to 55 MPa can be achieved, Thus, Zelfo is likely to compete with both conventional plastics and chipboard for certain applications.