Making bio-based food packaging as durable as plastic 

A company’s additive makes final products resistant to hot, wet, and greasy foods

Spotted: The world has a plastic problem. We produce around 141 million tonnes of plastic-based packaging every year and, of that figure, over 30 per cent ends up polluting the environment instead of being disposed of properly.  

Fast-food-related items, such as food bags and bottles, account for the biggest share of this waste, but now, Israeli cleantech company W-Cycle has developed a material, called SupraPulp, that could provide an alternative to plastic for food-grade packaging. 

SupraPulp is made using any fibre-based pulp feedstock – like banana leaves or bagasse – in a process that leverages W-Cycle’s patented repellent technology. It is this ‘secret sauce’ that makes SupraPulp resistant to oils and liquids, while also being 100 per cent compostable, and microwave- and oven-safe. 

In 2022 W-Cycle announced a partnership with Kosher Arabia (a food production company initially set up by Emirates and CCL Holdings) to supply its compostable food trays for all airlines coming through Dubai. While they are initially focusing on airline meals, the partnership will allow W-Cycle to expand into Kosher Arabia’s other catering services, including for private events, retail stores, and in the company’s partnering hotel chains.  

In April this year, W-Cycle was also announced as one of the participants in MassChallenge Israel 2023 Early-Stage Accelerator Programme.

Springwise has spotted other ways that packaging is moving away from plastic to sustainable alternatives, including bubble wrap made from wool and compostable materials made from sugarcane.

Written By: Amanda Simms