We present a novel pathway by conjoining hydrogen-based direct reduction (HDR) and hydrogen plasma reduction (HPR) that allows significant improvement of the iron oxide reduction with faster processing and effectiveness. With the presented hybrid approach, we deliver a way to exploit the specific characteristics, kinetics and efficiencies of both technologies at their corresponding optimal regimes, while simultaneously allowing low consumption of energy and hydrogen. As a result, the novel pathway provides the next step towards the establishment of sustainable and green reduction processing of iron ores with high process stability, throughput and low maintenance costs that is necessary for the successful transition of iron- and steelmaking industry towards a more sustainable and greener production.