Method and dose for forming an object with a natural fibre-based material

A method comprising the steps of:

• supplying a dose made with a natural fibre-based material;
• inserting the dose in a mould between a first half-mould and a second half-mould;
• moving at least one half-mould, selected from the first half-mould (21) and the second half-mould, towards the other half-mould, selected from the second half-mould and the first half-mould along a pressing direction to press the dose between the first half-mould and the second half-mould thereby forming an object,
• wherein the dose has a non-uniform structure, a property of the dose selected from density and thickness being greater in a first portion the dose than in a second portion of the dose, and wherein the first portion of the dose forms a first part of the object which has on average a higher density than a second part of the object formed by the second portion of the dose.

A method for obtaining a concave object, comprising the steps of:

• supplying a dose made with a natural fibre-based material, the dose comprising a central portion for forming an end wall of the concave object and a peripheral portion for forming a lateral wall of the concave object, the peripheral portion comprising a plurality of functional zones, the dose further comprising a plurality of compensating zones, each compensating zone of the plurality of compensating zones being interposed between two functional zones of the plurality of functional zones;
• inserting the dose in a mould between a first half-mould and a second half-mould;
• moving at least one half-mould, selected from the first half-mould and the second half-mould, towards the other half-mould, selected from the second half-mould and the first half-mould along a pressing direction for pressing the dose between the first half-mould and the second half-mould thereby forming said concave object,
• wherein the compensating zones of the plurality of compensating zones compensate for an increases in thickness due to folds originated while the peripheral portion is shaped to form the lateral wall, by receiving excesses of material of the folds.