In 2023, the world’s addiction to plastic becomes more urgent than ever, with the United Nations issuing a report declaring that plastic pollution has become a global emergency. With 1 trillion pounds of plastic produced each year and less than 10% recycled, finding a plastic-free solution for packaging has become one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time.
Enter Sway, a biomaterials startup using polymers found in seaweed to replace the functionality of petroleum-based plastics while working in harmony with Earth’s ecosystems.
“Choosing Self means actively moving away from carbon-intensive inputs like petroleum and championing a renewable resource”
Founded by Julia Marsh, Matt Mayes, and Leland Maschmeyer, Sway isn’t the first startup to focus on using seaweed to replicate plastic, but their products are certainly the most impressive. The company said it is using an extracted polymer known as “phycocolloid” to create a next-generation material that can surpass many of the useful properties of petroleum plastics.
Aiming to be a “case study in regenerative design”, Soy’s biobased, clean plastic is fully biodegradable and can be composted at home.
To obtain its raw materials, Sway partners with coastal communities that have been severely affected by overfishing and other environmental problems worldwide and helps them grow seaweed – which the company says is inexpensive, requires no fertilizers or pesticides, and uses little equipment.
Sway adds that its entire manufacturing process is designed to easily integrate with existing machinery.
Supporting aquaculture
By working with existing infrastructure and applying regenerative practices across its value chain, the company says it is committed to creating materials that “replenish”. Planets, from oceans to land.” In addition to lifting the burden of plastic pollution from the world’s landfills and oceans, Soy says the seaweed ecosystem offers a climate-resilient solution for many coastal economies.
To support its mission, the company has raised $2.5M in pre-seed funding to date.
As Sway says online: “Choosing Sway means actively moving away from carbon-intensive inputs like petroleum and championing a regenerative resource that restores natural and social ecosystems.”