This is the most basic type. The process uses vacuum forming and take-off or transfer moulds, where the mould is an extremely fine wire mesh in the shape of the upper/exposed surface. 

Prior to the moulding process, the mesh is mated with a vacuum chamber that draws air and moisture through the mesh into the chamber, with the mesh mould suspended above a liquid return pool. The fibrous slurry is sprayed from below onto the mould, and the vacuum draws the slurry tightly against the mesh, filling all gaps and spaces. When airflow through the mesh has been sufficiently blocked, the excess slurry falls into the return pool for recycling, and the mould advances onward to the drying process where it passes though an oven where it is dried out to form the packaging unit. 

The surfaces are rough on one side and moderately smooth on the opposite side. Product definition is moderate due to the use of relatively inexpensive single-pass moulds and the use of mixed recovered paper and kraft paper slurries.

This is designed to retain dimensional stability and its shape. The form is deposited from the mould into a female mould which then proceeds through the drying oven.

The fibrous slurry is pumped into a vat. A plenum, with product moulds mounted on it, passes through this mixture. The liquid pulp is drawn onto the moulds by vacuum and the water is simultaneously extracted, leaving a very soggy, even layer of pulp on the fine stainless steel mesh covering the mould.

The wet product is transferred onto a “carrier belt” that transports it through a drier (oven) at extreme heat to dry the product to “touch-dry”. This extreme heat causes the product to undergo considerable shrinkage.

The product is then ironed into the perfect shape by an afterpress, using a combination of heat and extremely high pressure.

The product is then either fed into a printer for customised logo’s, trademarks and product description or packed for despatch.