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Spotted: Trillions of pieces of plastic currently pollute our oceans, with the average human ingesting 150,000 microplastic particles every year and the average blue whale consuming 10 million particles in one single day.

While some of this pollution originates from larger pieces of plastic being broken down, the majority comes from primary microplastics, intentionally introduced into many products such as cosmetics, detergents, and paints. To tackle this problem, UK-based startup Naturbeads has developed what it claims is a world-first material: cellulose microspheres. 

Naturbeads’ microspheres are designed to fully replicate the functionality of plastic microspheres while being completely biodegradable. Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on Earth, with billions of tonnes being naturally produced by plants each year, and it breaks down naturally too. 

What sets Naturbeads apart is its first-of-a-kind method to shape cellulose into microspheres. While cellulose typically exists in a fibrous form, Naturbeads’ patented technology creates perfectly spherical, smooth particles in a range of customisable sizes and colours. The startup is poised to land in the cosmetics industry first, but as CEO and co-founder Giovanna Laudisio explained to Springwise, “these microspheres have potential applications in home care products, paints, coatings, and even as carriers for enzymes in biocatalysis or cell growth in vaccine production.”

The team has spent five years refining its process and testing the microspheres in a variety of industrial applications while winning a slew of awards along the way. The company is now ready to scale up, with plans to open its first industrial-scale production plant in Apulia, Italy by Q1 2025. This expansion will allow the company to meet growing global demand, particularly as the use of plastic microspheres is limited by incoming legislation in the EU, China, and across the globe. As Laudisio told Springwise, “The future of Naturbeads is bright, and so is the future of our planet with our innovative solutions.”

Written By: Oscar Williams