Sustainable packaging keeps perishable produce cool 

Made from corn and paper, the materials are compostable and eliminate the need for styrofoam

Spotted: Home delivery grocery shopping in European countries is expected to double in value by 2030. And, in the United States, researchers expect sales to be double 2021 levels by 2025. All those shipments require packaging, and many of them require temperature-controlled packaging for cold foodstuffs and other products.  

Wanting to eliminate the polluting Styrofoam that would likely go along with many of those food shipments, US-based TemperPack has created a compostable packaging material suitable for shipping pharmaceuticals, groceries, meal kits, flowers, and more. Not satisfied with simply providing a Styrofoam alternative, the company seeks to improve efficiency and reduce waste along the entirety of the cold shipping supply chain with its insulation production station. 

Called WaveKraft, the platform provides suppliers and distributors with on-demand packaging customised to the current temperature demands – of both the goods being shipped and the external weather conditions. Businesses buy the paper required to make the insulated packaging, and then fill the required sizes and shapes of paper forms with as much or as little air needed to maintain the required temperature.  

ClimaCell thermal liners help maintain correct temperatures within the packaging. Made from paper and cornstarch, the liners are also recyclable, and, as a direct replacement for Styrofoam, they meet certified performance requirements.  

Green Cell Foam is TemperPack’s third product, a compostable material that quickly breaks down in water and flushes down the kitchen sink. Made from corn, it provides both cushioning and temperature regulation, and for disposal, it can be fed to plants as a healthy supplement.  

Biobased packaging is an exciting area of growth, with innovations in Springwise’s archive including a recyclable waterproof coating and single-use bags that dissolve in water.

Written By: Keely Khoury