In South Korea, biodegradable plates made from seaweed byproduct are set to launch in March.
Producer Marine Innovation says its seaweed pulp cuts raw material costs and energy consumption by 30 and 80%, respectively. The materials are stronger than paper alternatives and will be available to hotels and restaurants in scallop and fan configurations. Cups made from the seaweed material but coated with shellfish exoskeleton material chitosan will launch this summer.
Marine Innovation, which is backed by South Korean conglomerate SK Innovation, recently won an award from the World Packaging Organization for egg trays made from its material. “It is meaningful in that our eco-friendly packaging technology has been recognized worldwide,” Marine Innovation CEO Cha Wan-young said in a press statement.