Plastic pollution is undoubtedly one of the biggest environmental problems of our lifetime. Millions of tons of plastic end up in landfills and the oceans every year, contaminating the environment and destroying marine life.
With greater emphasis placed on sustainability and circular economy, many organisations are looking towards alternate solutions. Seaweed packaging is an innovative solution that is growing in popularity, replacing conventional plastic packaging, using seaweed as raw material. This helps the environment by reducing plastic contamination, protects marine biodiversity, and improves the livelihood of seaweed farmers.
Currently, the seaweed packaging market size is valued at $682.1 million and is expected to rise to $1,224.5 million by 2033, growing at a healthy CAGR of 6% during the forecast period.
Seaweed packaging is made by extracting polysaccharides from seaweed and converting them into a gel-like material. This is then moulded into various shapes and dried to produce the finished product. Packaging made from seaweed is flexible and versatile to be shaped into any form or size to match specific items, and is suitable for a wide range of products, including clothing, cosmetics, and food. Depending on the desired appearance, it can be made either transparent or opaque.
Several companies have already begun using seaweed packaging for their products, and larger corporations are showing greater interest in the ‘green’ packaging option. F&B giant Nestle has announced plans to use seaweed packaging for some of its products. Similarly, leading consumer goods company Unilever has shown interest in experimenting with seaweed-based materials in packaging.
There are several seaweed packaging startups focusing on product development and are enhancing seaweed biodegradability characteristics. While US-based Loliware has developed sustainable seaweed straws that last 24 hours and fully break down in one week, UK’s Notpla has developed seaweed-based sauce sachets, biodegradable and edible single-use liquid packaging, and home-compostable takeaway boxes. The all-female American startup SWAY has developed a USP by using various colours of seaweed to create a range of finished product options. Indonesian company Evoware produces vegan-friendly disposable cups and seaweed sheetings for bags and sachets, while British startup SoluBlue offers packaging alternatives across multiple industries.
One of the major advantages over standard plastic packaging is that seaweed packaging is biodegradable and compostable. It is also renewable and can be cultivated without the use of land or freshwater, making it a viable choice for the future. Furthermore, seaweed has natural antimicrobial properties that give products a longer shelf life.
On the downside, the seaweed packaging industry has to put up with higher manufacturing costs as compared to plastic packaging, and will also require more effective and sustainable techniques of farming and processing.
Despite the drawbacks, the growing demand for environmentally friendly packaging among consumers and businesses the world over spells a promising future for the seaweed packaging industry.
