In California, seaweed-based bioplastic startup Sway has revealed a “breakthrough technology” that will enable seaweed to replace flexible plastics at scale.
The new, patent-pending thermoplastic seaweed resin, dubbed TPSea™, is 100% biobased, home-compostable, and microplastic-free. It can also “mesh seamlessly” with the most scaled plastic manufacturing systems available, enabling “growth and massive impact.”
TPSea is also capable of replacing conventional plastics in polybags, retail bags, and food wrappers—categories that collectively make up nearly a third of all single-use plastic packaging.
The launch accompanies Sway’s successful $5-million seed round, which was led by Third Nature Investments and included investment from The Helm, Alante Capital, BAM Ventures, Superorganism, and other industry-aligned investors.
“Clean oceans, abundant biodiversity, and thriving coastal economies all intertwine with Sway’s success as we accelerate production in 2024,” Julia Marsh, CEO & co-founder of Sway, said in a press statement.