Packaging Innovation with Alternative Materials
In this edition of the Packaging Innovation Dashboard, we highlight how Releaf Paper, HUID, and researchers at South Dakota State University are experimenting with alternative materials and tapping into waste streams to create innovative and circular packaging solutions.
Releaf Paper x Uber Eats | Bags made from Fallen Leaves
Photo from Packaging Europe
Releaf Paper is a Ukraine-based startup founded by Alexander Sobolenko bringing paper-based packaging solutions made from fallen leaves to the market.
A Packaging Gateway article reported that Releaf Paper partnered with Uber Eats in France to use their bags made of fallen leaves for food orders in the nation. The partnership was revealed at an Uber Go Get Zero event in London in early October—the collaboration with Releaf Paper falls under the Paris Innovation Pilot, backed by $1 million USD in investments by Uber to help Parisian restaurants transition to sustainable packaging alternatives.
Alexander Sobolenko, Releaf’s CEO, stated:
“By using fibers from fallen leaves, collected by public utilities in urban areas, we transform waste into eco-friendly materials that are both beautiful and functional. This innovative approach reduces deforestation and carbon emissions, contributing to a more sustainable future. We hope that announcement at Uber’s Go Get Zero event is just the beginning.”
Learn more about the partnership and Releaf Paper here.
Story from Packaging Gateway
HUID | Packaging from Onion Skin Waste
Photo from HUID
Did you know that packaging can be made from onion waste?
Renuka Ramanujam and HUID are doing just that—developing eco-friendly packaging solutions made from onion skins that are sourced from farmers and other waste streams.
HUID is based out of Oban, Scotland and has been supported by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland for years. Experimenting with onion-based paper and flexible films, HUID is preparing to launch their first product in 2025.
On top of the sustainability benefits, BBC notes that onion skins have antimicrobial properties and are projected to help extend the shelf life for perishable goods / foods.
Read more on onion skin packaging and HUID here.
Story from BBC
South Dakota State University | Bioplastic from Switchgrass
Did you know that switchgrass can be turned into bioplastic films?
Srinivas Janaswamy, PhD, Associate Professor of Food Chemistry at South Dakota State University, has been researching bioplastics heavily in his SDSU lab over the last few years, producing biodegradable films from upcycled agricultural byproducts like avocado peels, coffee grounds, and switchgrass—a native prairie grass in South Dakota.
Why switchgrass? The grass is native to the US, grows in numerous climates, and contains ~58% lignocellulosic material (making it prime for bioplastic production).
Janaswamy’s lab created switchgrass bioplastic films that are biodegradable in 40 days, have high tensile strength, and low “water vapor permeability.”
Read more on Janaswamy and South Dakota State University’s work to advance bioplastic production here.
Story from South Dakota State University
Learn more about Alternative Materials in Packaging
All materials, even innovative bio-based materials, have trade-offs and navigating them in order to deliver the most sustainable packaging system possible is one of the largest challenges faced by packaging engineers, sustainability teams, and more.
That’s why we created the Certificate of Sustainable Packaging (CSP)—a program designed to expose you to the world of sustainable packaging. It also includes a module teaching you how to conduct an ISO 14040 compliant life cycle assessment of a provided packaging system. Learn more about the CSP here.
