Fibretell
Cluster Connect Partipant
Fibretell
Fibretell is an early-stage Australian manufacturer developing dustless, high-performance animal bedding made from recycled paper, cardboard and agricultural by-products. Operating from Melbourne, the business is focused primarily on the thoroughbred racing industry, where respiratory health, consistency, and hygiene directly influence welfare and performance outcomes. The founder-led team works with engineers, laboratories and industry specialists to advance a pre-commercial extrusion-based prototype.
Business Type
Founded
Location
Enterprise Scale
Target Market
Focus
Background
Fibretell was founded by a long-time racehorse trainer, Troy Portelli who had spent more than two decades at the prestigious Warwick Farm and Flemington racecourses watching the same avoidable problems unfold: volatile supply, rising dust loads causing respiratory issues in horses and staff, and bedding that did little to manage ammonia or moisture.Â
What began as a practical search for a cleaner, more consistent material evolved into a science-led manufacturing model tailored to the demands of elite equine operations. Circularity, welfare, and performance became the backbone of the solution.Â
The Challenge
Across major racing precincts, the status quo in bedding had become untenable. Existing forestry waste streams were increasingly constrained and unpredictable. Dust and inconsistent particle quality elevated respiratory risks for horses and staff, undermining performance and welfare. Ammonia control remained poor, forcing higher labour inputs and faster bedding turnover.Â
Despite the scale and sophistication of the thoroughbred sector, there were no reliable, sustainable, high-performance alternatives that could meet the expectations of trainers, veterinarians, and stable managers. The gap was obvious – but the market wasn’t solving it.
What They Changed
Fibretell has developed a fibre-blend formulation and extrusion-based manufacturing process that converts recycled paper, cardboard, and agricultural residues into dustless, highly absorbent animal bedding. The innovation addresses key challenges in thoroughbred stables, including inconsistent bedding quality, respiratory risks, ammonia management, and volatile supply chains.
Combining materials science, extrusion engineering, and operational insight, the prototype product is:
- Consistently higher quality, avoiding the variability of traditional sawdust and wood shavings
- Welfare-focused, reducing dust and improving stable air quality for horses and staff
- Supply-reliable, using fibre streams that are scalable and decoupled from constrained forestry resources
- Scalable and commercially viable, with a clear pathway from prototype validation to pilot-scale production and early commercial adoption.
By embedding scientific testing and iterative development into daily operations, Fibretell is systematically de-risking its path to market while producing a superior bedding solution.
Program Experience
Through the Industry Growth Program and Cluster Connect, led by the Food and Agribusiness Network (FAN) Fibretell strengthened its technical pathway, commercial modelling, and investor readiness. The program helped refine pitch delivery, establish financial structure, and clarify market positioning.Â
Peer collaboration with businesses at different stages provided insight into scaling challenges and future requirements, reducing technical risk and accelerating decision-making.
Outcomes So Far
Extrusion engineers, laboratory scientists, and experienced racehorse trainers have contributed to product refinement. Their input has shaped formulation choices, testing methodology, and scale-up feasibility. Early feedback from trainers indicates strong interest in a dustless, ammonia-controlling bedding option, validating market need.
Fibretell is currently producing its second iteration prototype and progressing toward sufficient volumes for field-scale trials.Â
Sector Impact
Fibretell’s approach creates value from waste streams that would otherwise be underutilised. Designed in Australia for the rigorous demands of the thoroughbred industry, the solution addresses a global challenge in animal welfare, stable hygiene, and sustainable materials use. While still in pre-commercial stages, the model demonstrates clear potential for:
- Improved welfare and operational outcomes in high-performance stables
- Reduced reliance on constrained forestry by-products through circular manufacturing
- Scalability across broader livestock and animal bedding markets, offering a replicable, commercially viable solution for multiple sectors.
By embedding sustainability, performance, and commercial viability, Fibretell positions itself as a globally relevant Australian innovation with both environmental and economic impact potential.
Goals & Vision
Next steps include completing prototype validation, progressing to pilot-scale production, and initiating controlled commercial trials within the thoroughbred sector. Over the next 2-5 years, Fibretell aims to scale into full commercial manufacturing, establish national distribution and explore export opportunities. Longer-term, the model may extend into broader equine and livestock markets.
Advice for Other Startups
Fibretell emphasises the importance of validating the problem before scaling the solution. Early testing, structured governance, and external expertise have proven essential. The founder’s advice: invest in rigorous validation, understand your market’s operational realities, and build technical and commercial processes in parallel.Â
With these foundations in place, Fibretell is poised to transform stable operations, set a new benchmark for equine welfare, and scale its circular manufacturing model to broader markets.