What is Renewable Packaging?
Plastic is everywhere. Each product we buy from the supermarket comes wrapped in a plastic packaging that lasts longer than the product. These plastics are usually for single use. They go to the trash; they are incinerated or they mix in the seas. Their recycling rates are still incredibly low, and we have microplastics now in our water, our soil, our body. Therefore, “renewable packaging” is increasingly talked about. The idea is simple: Let’s make the layer wrapping the food also renewable; let’s prevent waste. Can thin films produced from materials such as seaweed, starch, milk protein present an alternative for plastic bags, bottles, or single-use packaging?
In this article, we examine the topic of ‘renewable packaging.’ We will discuss where the science stands, where industry is, costs and safety headings and consumer habits. Enjoy reading!
Plastic is one of the most useful inventions of modern life, but also one that leaves permanent impacts on the planet in a negative sense. Light, cheap and durable… Today, more than 400 million tons of plastic is produced in the world per year and almost half of this is only used once. Recycle rate is less than 10%. The rest is either incinerated or remains in nature without disintegrating.
has revealed the highest levels of microplastic ever recorded on the seafloor, with up to 1.9 million pieces in a thin layer covering just one square meter. Microplastics have entered our lives down to our drinking water, even breast milk. Plastics do not only pollute nature, but also directly contribute to the climate crisis. As fossil fuels are used in the production process, each plastic product leave a carbon footprint even before it is finished.
This picture steered researchers and industry to seek novel solutions. It was understood that recycling is not enough on its own. And renewable packaging enters the stage, exactly at this point.
Renewable packaging does not have a single form. Its characteristics such as durability, solubility and taste vary depending on the raw material used.
I. Vegetable-Based Packaging
It is produced from vegetable sources such as corn starch, potato fiber, or seaweed. These materials dissolve when they come into contact with water and rapidly decompose in nature. Britain-based company, Notpla, made this technology popular by distributing seaweed-based water capsules instead of plastic bottles in marathons. They started to use the same system in sauce packaging as well.
II. Protein-Based Packaging
Films made from milk protein (casein) or soy protein are remarkably successful in protecting food from oxygen and humidity. Casein-based film packaging has the potential to be used in products such as milk powder, coffee, or chocolate.
III. Composite Packaging
Some producers combine starch, wax, and natural resins in order to increase durability. This kind of packaging is preferred not for single-use products, but for foods that require transportation and storage. However, renewability of these products depends on the purity of contained components. Therefore, food safety tests are required.
Renewable packaging comes to the fore with its potential of not leaving a trace in nature. Since petrol derivatives are not used in its production, it has a low carbon footprint. It does not require recycling and it directly enters into biological cycle. There are economic advantages as well. Packaging waste costs may decrease for food retailers if renewable packaging becomes more popular and affordable.
The biggest challenge of renewable packaging is its limitations in terms of durability and shelf life. It does not endure as long as plastics. It is more sensitive to humidity, heat, and microorganisms. And this creates risks in terms of supply chain. For example, a seaweed-based packaging can spoil in a few days in a humid storage unit. Therefore, transportation and storage processes require special conditions.
Another challenge is cost. Since production technology is not yet mature enough, renewable packaging is more expensive compared to the conventional plastic. This difference creates a significant constriction in areas which operate with low profit margins such as food sector.
Moreover, consumer trust is another issue. Many people are wary about the concept of “renewable.” They are not sure whether packaging is safe, or whether it will leave a taste or odor on the products. And food safety regulations are having a tough time defining this new category. Applicable standards have not yet been created for all countries.
All these factors combined, renewable packaging is at the level of a “niche innovation” at this point. As it is with each sustainable solution, time and investment are required for scalability.
Check out our blog post for further details on Waste Management.
Renewable packaging is not an environmental technology dream anymore; it has turned into tangible solutions in various parts of the world. Pioneering initiatives in this field reinterpret nature’s materials to develop production models that go beyond the age of plastic.
One of the most famous examples of this is Britain-based Notpla. The company drew attention with its “Ooho” capsules produced from seaweed. These capsules started to be used instead of plastic bottles especially during marathons. Participants consume these renewable capsules during the run, and no waste is left behind. Notpla makes the idea of “edible packaging” a part of daily life by using seaweed-based packaging in many products, from pasta boxes to sauce bags. The company has been awarded with “Earthshot Prize” in 2022 as an indication that this technology can create a real impact in environmental and commercial terms.
Indonesia-based company, Evoware, has a similar vision. Evoware produces edible food packaging and coffee bags using seaweed that grows plenty in tropical regions. This approach not only reduces plastic pollution but also creates a new source of income for seaweed farmers.
Another example that focuses on edible packaging innovation in Asia is Singapore-based company, Forest & Whale. This design studio develops durable but completely compostable food containers using wheat scab and natural fibers. These containers are both renewable and rapidly biodegradable. The company tests these products by establishing collaborations with restaurant chains and opens the way for these products to be used on an industrial scale.
GoneShells,, a remarkable initiative in Europe, produces transparent bottles made of potato starch. These bottles completely dissolve when they come into contact with hot water, in other words, they decompose after usage without leaving behind any waste. The aim of GoneShells is to provide a practical alternative to single-use plastic bottles especially in the beverage sector.
What’s common to all these examples is that they show how sustainability is not limited to environmentally friendly material production. Each of these examples adopts production models based on local raw materials, low energy consumption, and circular economy. Furthermore, these initiatives include local communities in their production chain, thus combining environmental innovation with social benefit.
This increasing diversity across the world proves that renewable packaging is not only a niche laboratory idea but also has a scalable industrial potential. Maybe in the near future, it will not be surprising to see water or sauce packages in the form of “renewable packaging” on the shelfs. This innovative approach shortens the distance between consumption and nature. In other words, packaging is evolving from merely serving as a protective layer to returning to nature.
Renewable packaging presents an environmentally sensitive approach, but it is not possible to renewable packaging to eliminate all plastic issues in the short term. Food, pharmaceutical and technology sectors require long shelf life and high durability. Conventional plastics are still dominant under these conditions.
The actual solution lies not only in a single material, but in a systematic transformation. From production to consumption habit, the whole chain has to be redesigned. Renewable packaging can be a part of this transformation, but it is not enough on its own. Recycling, reusing and material innovation should be considered all together. And consumer behavior is the key turning point of this transformation. As long as “easy, cheap, fast” habit is not replaced with “simple, sustainable, conscious” preferences, no technology can offer a permanent solution.
Yes, renewable packaging is a solution and a promising step against plastic waste. In the near future, products with “renewable packaging” will become everyday things on the supermarket shelfs. However, this innovation is not the only formula for sustainability. The real solution lies in redefining the relationship between production and consumption. If we desire a future in harmony with nature, we need to transform not only packaging, but also our own habits.