In Transition: Nohbo Drops

Nohbo Drop mood imagery / Source: Nohbo

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2 MINUTE READ

Kaltrina Bylykbashi

A water soluble film filled with anhydrous plant-based butylene glycol from Genomatica.

Nohbo Drops are classified as a transitional material.

WHAT IS IT?

Nohbo Drops are water-soluble, single serving pods made for personal care products. The pods are made from a biodegradable polymer, paired with an anhydrous liquid chassis made of naturally derived esters and oils. When exposed to water, the outer membrane dissolves, releasing cosmetic ingredients. The film is said to dissolve in 60 seconds, and biodegrade in 90 days once hydrated.

Nohbo claims that per one million Nohbo Drops, 22,050 pounds of plastic, 15,590 pounds of water and 220 pounds of preservative are saved. Nohbo products were first revealed on US TV programme Shark Tank in 2016, where founder Benjamin Stern, who was 16 at the time, asked for USD 100,000 for a 25% equity stake in Nohbo. By 2020, the company had secured USD 3 million in seed funding.

WHERE'S THE PLASTIC?

The film behind Nohbo Drops is a water soluble polymer film made from PVA/PVOH. Often manufactured from ethylene and acetic acid - which derive from fossil fuels - PVOH is of concern because studies have shown its persistence or accumulation in the marine environment.

While these studies have been refuted, and said to be in relation to fibrous, not water soluble PVOH by some, we believe more research is needed to determine its true end-of-life impacts. Further studies have found polyvinyls closely resembling PVOH in the stomachs of fish 10km below the ocean's surface, as well as the fact that PVA can alter gas exchanges, such as carbon dioxide exchange, affecting aquatic ecosystems.

HOW TO MAKE IT PLASTIC FREE

Although they are more difficult to scale, Notpla Films and Sachets are one of the few materials not considered a plastic under the EU Commission Single Use Plastics Directive. Made from Seaweed, plant and mineral extracts, the films could be a replacement for dissolvable PVOH laundry detergent pods, thanks to both hot and cold water soluble properties. For products where the user needs to extract the contents from a pod, Notpla Sachets, which can be composted alongside food waste, could be the answer.