Grant awarded for circular seaweed packaging solution

Aimed at transforming the personal care industry, the initiative will introduce a circular packaging solution that will provide skincare brands with a fully recyclable and compostable alternative to traditional fossil-based plastic packaging.

Partnering with WMG, University of Warwick, Sustainable Packaging Technologies will lead efforts to commercialise the seaweed biopolymer material developed by FlexSea.

In a statement, James Nelson, business development manager at Sustainable Packaging Technologies, said: “We see significant potential in FlexSea’s technology within the personal care industry, and we’re eager about the opportunity it provides to expand our portfolio with more sustainable, bio-based truly home compostable packaging solutions.”

Thanks to seaweed’s high nitrogen content, it is believed that FlexSea’s material provides sustainable packaging and enriches soil health during natural decomposition. Depending on the thickness of the final part, the material biodegrades within weeks in marine and terrestrial environments, leaving no harmful residues. In addition, its production requires no strong chemicals or high temperatures over 150ºC, and uses renewable ingredients, producing only water vapour as a by-product.