Flexible plastics used to make packaging bags are one of the biggest environmental concerns. This is plastic that is practically not recycled in any way and has a detrimental effect on any ecosystem when it gets into it. Unfortunately, replacing it in many applications is extremely difficult or very expensive. However, new developments are encouraging.

Let's talk about one of them now. We will talk about the Californian startup Sway and the TPSea technology it developed. This is a thermoplastic resin made from seaweed that can replace flexible plastics. Perhaps the most important thing about this technology is its easy scalability and integration into existing plastics production systems. Also a significant advantage is the low cost and rapid renewability of the material for this resin - seaweed, which also has no nutritional value, such as starch, often used for biodegradable bags.

Sway offers for sale not only resin granules for production, but also ready-made TPSea Flex film, which can be used to produce a high-quality replacement for plastic bags, retail bags and food wrappers. The film has good heat sealability, strength and durability, has certain barrier properties and is suitable for printing on it. Best of all, it can be used on existing packaging equipment without modification. And of course, the film is compostable both industrially and at home.

Most recently, Sway received $5 million in investor funding to expand production. Also, a number of large US brands have already become interested in the technology and it was very warmly received at the Biofabricate 2024 exhibition, held in January in Paris.

Materials used from the sites swaythefuture.com, packaginginsights.com.