Staying ahead of the technology curve means strengthening your competitive advantage. That is why we give you data-driven innovation insights into the packaging industry. This time, you get to discover 5 hand-picked startups developing circular packaging solutions.
Global Startup Heat Map: 5 Top Circular Packaging Startups
The 5 packaging startups you will explore below are chosen based on our data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and relevance of technology, among others. This analysis is based on the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 1.3 million startups & scaleups globally.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights the 5 circular packaging startups & scaleups our Innovation Researchers curated for this report. Moreover, you get insights into regions that observe a high startup activity and the global geographic distribution of the 704 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
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Bio-lutions creates Packaging from Agricultural Residue
Businesses are always looking for ways to reduce costs and maximize profits. Further, brands and companies try to achieve this without compromising the quality of their packaging. The challenge for the packaging industry is to develop sustainable packaging that allows companies to remain competitive in terms of costs. Startups create suitable packaging materials using recyclable and reusable products that are also as durable as conventional plastics.
German startup Bio-lutions creates biodegradable material made from agricultural excess. It offers sustainable packaging and compostable tableware solutions. The packaging material is made from agriculture residues that are converted into self-binding natural fibers through a mechanical process. The raw material goes through energy-intensive processes of cellulose extraction and bleaching. This process avoids the excessive use of chemicals and water, helping reduce the overall carbon footprint. Further, the startup’s packaging is suitable for all types of wet and dry food. The startup’s products help companies shift to sustainable packaging solutions that are durable and affordable.
Paptic develops an Alternative to Plastic Packaging
More and more countries are banning plastic bags for everyday shopping. Banning plastic bags has resulted in shifting to alternatives to single-use plastic bags. Another benefit of alternative plastics, other than a lower carbon footprint, is consumers who want to associate with environmentally-friendly brands. But the big challenge is to develop such alternative plastic packaging material that is fully biodegradable yet durable like plastic packaging. Startups and emerging companies explore the viability of wood fiber packaging material, manufactured from recycled cartons and paper.
Paptic is a Finnish startup that sources renewable raw materials made of wood fibers from controlled and sustainable forests. The fiber is completely biodegradable under industrial composting conditions. Paptic then manufactures packaging material that enables companies to shift from plastics to renewable, recyclable, and biodegradeable packaging materials. Additionally, Paptic’s packaging is light and thin, allowing for better storage and handling efficiency. The startup’s material is useful for food & agriculture and also extends to carrier bags and luxury packaging.
Reconcil offers Reusable & Returnable Packaging
Today, most packaging is designed to be used once and then discarded. With a finite number of resources to work with, manufacturers look to switch to recyclable and reusable options that benefit both consumers and the planet. Startups offer circular packaging solutions to incorporate the principles of a circular economy and integrate them with sustainable packaging.
French startup Reconcil offers returnable and reusable packaging for zero take-out catering based on circular economy principles. The startup’s software provides rental service for food containers based on a deposit model. The end-consumer then pays a small amount when purchasing the dish in a returnable container. This amount is later reimbursed when the packaging is returned to a delivery person or a restaurant in the network. The food containers finally go through an industrial washing service, making them reusable for the next delivery. The startup’s returnable packaging supports restaurateurs and meal delivery platforms to service zero-waste deliveries.
Lean Orb provides Compostable Food Containers
Plastic waste is damaging to the environment because of its linear ‘take-make-dispose’ business model. Hence, the demand for feasible alternatives to plastic is strong and continues to grow. Both consumers and industry leaders are pushing to use and create sustainable packaging solutions. Startups and scaleups take advantage of this urgent need and develop fully-recyclable, reusable, and compostable packaging as an alternative to plastics.
Lean Orb is a US-based startup that provides compostable foodservice packaging solutions. The startup offers plant-based, eco-friendly packaging and catering disposables that are fully-compostable. The packaging material comes from recycling palm leaves, birchwood, wheat waste, bamboo fibers, and other plant waste. The solution serves the food and drink industry by improving the sustainability of packaging and cutlery.
Mi Terro manufacturers Plastic Alternative Biomaterial
Food waste is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. One way of dealing with food waste is by reusing it. The circular economy plays a vital role to reduce this waste stream by creating room for alternative materials like nanomaterials and biomaterials. Increasingly, companies make use of biomaterials to offer new sustainable fibers and materials for medical packaging, as well as for the textile industry. For example, startups develop bioplastics to help companies and brands shift to biodegradable packaging options.
US-based startup Mi Terro provides sustainable fibers and biopolymers to replace plastics in the packaging industry. Their packaging solution is biodegradable, non-toxic, water-soluble, and also edible. The startup’s cheese why waste-based packaging material solves the problem of non-biodegradable packaging and offers an alternative made from food waste. In addition to applications in the packaging sector, Mi Terro also helps create apparel from milk-product waste. These sustainable fibers are home-compostable and ocean-degradation safe products.
Discover all Circular Packaging Startups
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