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Executive Summary: Which are the Top 10 Zero Waste Packaging Startups to Watch?
- Heket Packaging (Italy): Builds circular plastic packaging systems using reusable bottles, high-density recycling methods, and event-based collection points with integrated tracking and reverse vending technologies.
- Parsh Poly (India): Offers biocompostable carry bags made from corn starch and polylactic acid that decompose naturally into fertilizer for zero-waste applications.
- To Go Green (USA): Provides reusable food containers made from polypropylene for restaurants, with container tracking and flexible return options via home pickup or drop-off.
- Reutilbox (Portugal): Develops zero-waste reusable food and beverage containers with deposit-tracking systems and a real-time app to display user impact and reuse cycles.
- Repetito (Slovakia): Offers reusable e-commerce envelopes and boxes that are returned via dispensing points, then repaired and recirculated to replace single-use shipping materials.
- ciclico (Argentina): Delivers packaging-as-a-service using reusable food containers with AI-driven analytics, impact tracking, and return stations to extend container life.
- Trakya Pack (Bulgaria): Produces molded pulp packaging from recycled paper and cardboard, forming shock-resistant structures through vacuum molding and local sourcing.
- Multiloop (Germany): Creates recyclable mailing bags for e-commerce with a QR code-based deposit-return system to encourage reusable shipping and reduce carbon footprint.
- Circltech (UK): Provides reusable beverage cups with embedded microchips linked to customer accounts, enabling automatic refunds, usage tracking, and inventory monitoring.
- NaturallyContained (USA): Makes backyard compostable packaging from coconut fiber for gardening, serving as plastic-free liners and biodegradable planting pots.
Global Startup Heat Map highlights Emerging Zero Waste Packaging Startups to Watch
Through the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 7M+ startups, 20K+ technology trends plus 150M+ patents, news articles & market reports, we identified 10 zero waste packaging startups.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights emerging zero waste packaging startups you should watch in 2026 as well as the geo-distribution of 2000+ startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research.
According to our data, we observe high startup activity in the USA and the UK, followed by Germany. The top 5 Startup Hubs for zero waste packaging are London, New York City, Bangalore, Mumbai, and Dubai.
Explore Emerging Zero Waste Packaging Companies 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 zero waste packaging companies work on solutions ranging from biocompostable carry bags and packaging-as-a-service to sustainable cups and coco fiber packaging.
1. Heket Packaging
- Founding Year: 2025
- Location: Genova, Italy
- Use For: Plastic Packaging
Italian startup Heket Packaging builds three circular packaging systems: Reuse System, High Recycling System, and Event System. The Reuse System uses durable plastic bottles with regenerable labels that go through multiple reuse cycles. The High Recycling System compresses and seals bottles to save space and make material recovery easier and cleaner. Further, the Event System sets up compact collection points for quick and efficient returns at busy events.
These systems work with smart reverse vending machines, tracking codes that sort materials by type, and robotic palletizers that organize containers by brand. The startup also uses tethered caps and pneumatic transport to keep food and chemical packaging separate and easy to trace. Moreover, its management control software enables real-time monitoring of processing and forecasts of raw material prices.
2. Parsh Poly
- Founding Year: 2024
- Location: Jaipur, India
- Use For: Bio Compostable Carry Bags
Indian startup Parsh Poly offers biocompostable packaging bags. It uses plant-based raw materials like corn starch and polylactic acid that decompose in composting environments. The decomposed package further serves as a compost fertilizer, facilitating zero waste.
Credit: Parsh Poly
The startup customizes the package into carry bags, garbage bags, parcel bags, and more. Being leak-proof and durable, the package provides a sustainable alternative to households, e-commerce, and retailers.
3. To Go Green
- Founding Year: 2024
- Location: Washington, DC, USA
- Use For: Returnable Food Containers
US-based startup To Go Green provides reusable food packaging for restaurants. The container is made using polypropylene, a non-volatile food contact material.
Credit: To Go Green
The startup’s platform allows consumers to order food from partner restaurants. It features a container tracking system and flexible return options via drop‑off or home pickup. This allows restaurants, delivery partners, and eco-conscious diners to eliminate the upstream and downstream impacts of a single-use alternative.
4. Reutilbox
- Founding Year: 2023
- Location: Lisbon, Portugal
- Use For: Food and Beverage Reusable Packaging
Portuguese startup Reutilbox offers zero-waste containers for restaurants, retail stores, canteens, and events. Its tracking and deposit technology facilitates the replacement of disposable packaging with reusable packaging. It features no-cost container lending for wider adoption of food and beverage delivery in its packaging.
The returned package is sanitized and put for reuse. The startup also offers an app that displays a real-time ecological footprint to users. This allows users to replace single-use packaging and cut waste through longer reuse cycles.
5. Repetito
- Founding Year: 2023
- Location: Puchov, Slovakia
- Use For: E-Commerce Envelopes
Slovak startup Repetito offers reusable packaging boxes and envelopes for e-commerce. The packaging suits clothes, small and medium-sized goods.
It allows customers to select the Repetito package delivery option while placing online orders. Post delivery, the customer returns the package to a package dispensing point. The startup receives it, repairs it, and puts it back in circulation. This reduces waste and pollution.
This way, the solution eliminates single‑use boxes and cuts transport waste. It also limits the need for new raw materials to conserve resources and lower production emissions.
Want to Explore 2000+ Zero Waste Packaging Startups & Scaleups?
6. ciclico
- Founding Year: 2024
- Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Use For: Packaging-as-a-service
Argentinian startup ciclico offers packaging-as-a-service for companies, schools, and universities. It provides reusable food containers to events and catering services.
The startup deploys packaging traceability for the measurement of metrics like waste disposal, impact, and footprint. AI-driven analytics allows users to assess demand and prevent food waste. It also enables users to return containers via smart stations to extend container lifecycles and minimize waste.
7. Trakya Pack
- Founding Year: 2024
- Location: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Use For: Molded Pulp Packaging
Bulgarian startup Trakya Pack develops molded pulp packaging, PulProtect, using recycled paper, cardboard, and natural fibers. For this, the startup collects recycled paper like newspapers and cardboard from local sources to cut carbon emissions and support local jobs. The paper is mixed with water in a pulper to break it into fibers, then cleaned to remove any impurities. The clean pulp is shaped into packaging using vacuum molds that drain out the water.
Finally, the products are dried and checked to make sure they are strong and safe for use. The package adapts to the product shape. Thus, it safeguards against shocks and vibrations to ensure product security during transport and storage.
8. Multiloop
- Founding Year: 2023
- Location: Pullach, Germany
- Use For: Mailing Bags
German startup Multiloop offers zero-waste packaging boxes and mailing bags for e-commerce. It uses recyclable plastics to replace cardboard boxes to save carbon emissions and water.
The package deploys a quick response (QR) code-based return and deposit. Customers pay a deposit during checkout and receive a refund when they return the package. This way, the startup supports online retailers and consumers seeking reusable shipping alternatives.
9. Circltech
- Founding Year: 2024
- Location: Cambridge, UK
- Use For: Microchipped Smart Cups
US-based startup Circltech provides microchipped smart cups for beverages. Made using food-grade materials, the cup is reusable and provides an alternative to single-use disposables. Each cup’s microchip connects to the customer’s payment method to enable automatic refunds of the deposit upon return.
The startup’s app provides real-time visibility of cup inventory and allows sellers to maintain optimal stock. It analyzes cup usage, return rates, and triggers loss prevention alerts. Moreover, a handheld scanner detects and verifies embedded chips and supports batch scanning for faster processing.
10. NaturallyContained
- Founding Year: 2023
- Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
- Use For: Coco Fiber Packaging
US-based startup NaturallyContained develops coconut fiber packaging for gardening. The packaging is backyard compostable and leaves no toxins or microplastics.
Additionally, the packaging serves as liners in existing pots. It has soil amendment properties and also functions as a planting pot. This provides garden centers, retailers, and individual consumers with a zero-waste alternative to plastics.
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!
