10 Top Biodegradable Packaging Solutions to Watch in 2026

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Executive Summary: Which are the Top 10 Biodegradable Packaging Solutions to Watch?

1. Naturpac (Australia): Provides biodegradable packaging through recyclable, compostable, and natural material solutions to reduce plastic dependency.
2. Plantera (Germany): Produces compostable packaging from cornmeal waste to replace Styrofoam in transport, insulation, and protective packaging.
3. Lalaplast Bioplastics (Bahrain): Offers plant-based biopolymer grades from cassava and corn starch for biodegradable, heat-resistant packaging.
4. EcoFibre (USA): Manufactures plant-based packaging from sugarcane pulp that is biodegradable, PFAS-free, and waste-reducing.
5. Biopac (Indonesia): Creates zero-waste bio-packaging from seaweed that is edible, biodegradable, and marine-safe.
6. S.Lab (Ukraine): Develops mushroom mycelium-based biodegradable packaging from agricultural waste that is customizable, durable, and compostable.
7. Shellworks (UK): Produces plastic-free, bio-based packaging material that composts at home while maintaining plastic-like functionality.
8. ExpandOS (USA): Specializes in biodegradable protective packaging made from paper-based interlocking shapes that replace foam and plastic.
9. Blue Ocean Closures (Sweden): Provides fiber-based closures made from recyclable cellulose fibers as alternatives to single-use plastic caps.
10. PlanetPaper.eco (Portugal): Produces biodegradable single-use packaging from cellulose waste that is compostable and compliant with EU bans on plastics.

Global Startup Heat Map highlights Emerging Biodegradable Packaging Solutions to Watch

Through the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 9M+ startups, 20K+ technology trends, plus 150M+ patents, news articles & market reports, we identified the top biodegradable packaging startups.

The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights emerging biodegradable startups you should watch in 2026, as well as the geo-distribution of 900+ startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research.

According to our data, we observe high startup activity in India and Vietnam, followed by the UAE. The top 5 Startup Hubs for biodegradable packaging are Dubai, Pune, Al Hidd, Bangalore, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Discover Emerging Biodegradable Packaging Startups to Watch in 2026

We hand-picked startups to showcase in this report by filtering for their technology, founding year, location, funding, and other metrics. These emerging biodegradable packaging startups work on solutions ranging from seaweed-based and plant-based to cornmeal-based packaging and plastic-free packaging.

1. Naturpac – Ethical Packaging

• Founding Year: 2019
• Location: Lavington, Australia

Australian startup Naturpac provides biodegradable packaging through a tiered framework that guides businesses from recyclable to compostable solutions. It manufactures and distributes materials such as cellulose netting, palm fiber trays, and paper-based pouches that decompose naturally without leaving toxic residues.

Moreover, the startup categorizes its products into bronze, silver, and gold standards, each representing recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable products, respectively. This allows businesses to adopt sustainable practices at their own pace.

2. Plantera – Cornmeal-based Compostable Packaging

• Founding Year: 2021
• Location: Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

German startup Plantera develops Corn Pack, a biodegradable packaging material made from residual cornmeal, a byproduct of food processing. The startup puffs the cornmeal through a controlled process, binds it with organic additives, and shapes it into customized moulded parts that provide reliable protection for goods.

Corn Pack is food safe, shockproof, and insulating to make it suitable for transport packaging of electronics, furniture, pharmaceuticals, and temperature-sensitive products. It decomposes while leaving only nutrients that return to the soil.

3. Lalaplast Bioplastics – Plant-based Biopolymer Grades

• Founding Year: 2023
• Location: Hidd, Bahrain

Lalaplast Bioplastics from Bahrain provides plant-based biopolymer grades for biodegradable packaging. It uses renewable inputs like cassava or corn starch, vegetable oil derivatives, and biodegradable polyester that decompose through microbial activity under composting conditions.

Further, its products resist heat, dissolve in hot water, and disintegrate into natural elements, while remaining harmless to animals and plants. These biopolymers exclude conventional plastics, offer antistatic properties, and maintain a high oxygen barrier.

4. EcoFibre – Plant-based Packaging

• Founding Year: 2021
• Location: Houston, USA

US-based startup EcoFibre produces biodegradable packaging and tableware made from renewable plant-based pulp, primarily sugarcane bagasse. It processes the fibrous byproduct of sugarcane into durable, compostable trays and containers without using per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or other harmful chemicals.

Further, the startup’s CleanPeel technology adds a removable liner to fiber trays, which users peel off to recycle the tray like paper and dispose of the liner with plastics. The trays feature clean edges, deep capacity, and embossed structures for reliable performance across multiple uses.

5. Biopac – Zero Waste Seaweed-based Bio-packaging

• Founding Year: 2019
• Location: Kota Tangerang, Indonesia

Indonesian startup Biopac produces zero-waste bio-packaging made from locally abundant seaweed. It processes the seaweed into flexible, edible films that mimic the functionality of conventional plastic wraps but dissolve naturally after use. This packaging resists moisture, wraps food securely, and facilitates composting without leaving harmful residues.

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6. S.Lab – Mushroom-based Green Packaging

• Founding Year: 2020
• Location: Kyiv, Ukraine

Ukrainian startup S.Lab provides biodegradable packaging made from agricultural waste and mushroom mycelium through an automated and patented production process. The startup combines plant stems with mycelium, which acts as a natural adhesive. This forms durable, water-resistant, and thermally insulating packaging that decomposes into soil fertilizer within 30-45 days.

Furher, the S.Lab’s closed-loop system reuses water and raw material waste, while continuous sterilization and robotic forming eliminate the need for molds and reduce energy and resource use. The resulting material matches the performance of polystyrene with high compressive strength, fire resistance, and precise design capabilities.

7. Shellworks – Waste Biomass-based Packaging

• Founding Year: 2019
• Location: London, United Kingdom
• Funding: Raised USD 6.2 million in Seed
• Startup Stage: Seed

UK-based startup Shellworks makes Vivomer, a biodegradable packaging material made from waste biomass through fermentation and formulation. The material mimics the performance and versatility of plastic while remaining home-compostable, non-toxic, and free from petrochemicals, PFAS, and bisphenol A (BPA).

The material maintains stability during use before breaking down into water and CO2 in compost, soil, marine, or landfill conditions. It produces no microplastics and leaves no harmful residues to balance functionality, aesthetics, and sustainability.

8. ExpandOS – Paper-based Packaging Material

• Founding Year: 2022
• Location: Hebron, United States

US-based startup ExpandOS offers paper-based materials for packaging that replace conventional foam and plastic. It dispenses interlocking paper shapes and cushion items within shipping boxes to adapt to various product sizes and line speeds through customizable automation.

The product remains non-toxic, requires no safety gear, and meets standards for recyclability and biodegradability. Moreover, it reduces labor and material costs while minimizing product damage through consistent impact protection.

9. Blue Ocean Closures – Fiber-based Closures

• Founding Year: 2021
• Location: Karlstad, Sweden
• Revenue: SEK 930 000

Swedish startup Blue Ocean Closures produces fiber-based closures to replace plastic caps with recyclable, paper-like alternatives. The startup uses cellulose fibers from sustainably managed forests and applies proprietary vacuum press forming technology to sinter the fibers into dense, durable 3D structures.

This dry, energy-efficient process enables precise shaping, moisture protection, and strength while minimizing water and energy consumption compared to conventional plastics. The closures are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified, biodegradable in soil and seawater, and compatible with existing packaging systems.

10. PlanetPaper.eco – Biological Composites-based Packaging

• Founding Year: 2021
• Location: Viseu, Portugal

Portuguese startup PlanetPaper.eco produces biodegradable single-use packaging made from natural and biological composites. It transforms cellulose waste through a proprietary industrial process that replaces fossil-based materials.

This packaging achieves full biodegradability, compostability, and recyclability, while complying with European bans on plastics and Styrofoam. Moreover, this solution reduces landfill waste and marine pollution to enable sustainable production.

Discover All Emerging Packaging Startups

The packaging startups showcased in this report are only a small sample of all startups we identified through our data-driven startup scouting approach. Download our free Packaging Innovation Report for a broad overview of the industry or get in touch for quick & exhaustive research on the latest technologies & emerging solutions that will impact your company in 2026!