UK based materials company Kelpi has announced a partnership with Amcor, aiming to integrate its seaweed-derived barrier coatings into the company’s fibre-based packaging.
Kelpi seeks to displace fossil fuel-based packaging at scale with its coating technology, which utilizes seaweed and plant oils to deliver gas and moisture barrier performance ‘comparable to conventional plastic coatings’. The technology is said to be compatible with paper recycling streams.
Working in collaboration with Amcor’s global research and development teams, Kelpi says it will support the evaluation of its technology platform within Amcor’s AmFiber fibre-based solutions portfolio, targeting demanding end-use applications that require high barrier performance, efficient material use, and circularity.
The companies state that they hope to accelerate the path to commercial deployment of bio-based barrier coatings, supporting a circular economy for packaging and reducing reliance on fossil-fuel-derived materials across consumer goods sectors.
In related news, in May we reported on noriware’s seaweed-based top seal film for fruit and vegetable packaging, intended to help retailers align with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation’s single-use plastic ban for fresh produce. By bonding directly to paper and cardboard trays without additional treatments, adhesives, or coating layers, it is believed to reduce CO2 emissions by 89% compared to conventional plastics.
In the same month, Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) published a paper in the Algal Research journal which revealed that seaweed extracts can be turned into an alternative biodegradable plastic, suitable for future food packaging applications. Apparently, the new plastics are being tested for properties including strength, antibacterial qualities and water resistance.
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