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Kaltrina Bylykbashi
Sulapac is classified as a transitional material.
Finnish packaging company Sulapac creates bio-based packaging solutions for the food and cosmetic industries. Designed to look and act like plastic, it's made from a combination of wood fibres sourced from sustainably managed forests, and plant-based binders, and is said to be industrially compostable, tested according to the EN 13432. The company provides jars, pots, lids, cutlery and straws, and works with luxury clients such as Chanel.
The company offers various grades of Sulapac material where bio-content is tweaked according to use case. Some of these include Sulapac Universal, Sulapac Premium and Sulapac Premium Flex 40, the first two of which are 100% bio-based, while the latter includes 85% bio-based materials. Named as one of Europe’s top-100 startups by Wired Magazine, the company won Best Green Packaging Solution at the LUXE PACK in Green Awards in 2017 and the Green Alley Award in the same year. The company received funding from the EU’s Horizon research and innovation programme in 2020.
Sulapac material is made partly from sustainably sourced wood fibres and partly from binding, plant-based polymers, although no specifics are given as to what the plants are. The amount of bio-based ingredients used varies between products. Its Universal line – usually used for rigid products such as jars and hangers – is made from 100% wood pulp and bio-based material, while its Universal Flex 30 line – used for single-use or reusable cutlery items – is said to be 78% bio-based, although what the remaining material is is not made clear. There is potential here for added fossil-fuel-based content.
As Sulapac’s bio-based material is a plant-based polymer, and it decomposes, we can assume that it is likely a PLA. PLA is classed as a plastic under the EU definition because it's chemically modified during manufacture. It does not comply with EU composting facility standards, or of those in California, although it is widely understood to be compostable. One of the reasons for this judgment is that more work needs to be done in understanding the effects of the product as it biodegrades in the natural environment. Another hindrance is that Sulapac products are currently only commercially compostable at a time when many composting sites still deem PLA a contaminant. Sulapac is said to degrade into no lasting microplastics, initially breaking down into particles and then eventually into CO2, water and biomass.
The appeal of Sulapac is that it fits efficiently within existing plastic systems, so the material is capable of keeping up with mass production. Many companies offer beauty and food packaging made from wood – think Hetkinen's pine jars, – or glass – such as Baralan’s DEA series – but few of these solutions can genuinely be applied at scale.
Seaweed-based brand Notpla has recently launched Notpla Rigid, however, a rigid plastic alternative made entirely from seaweed waste and plants that can degrade harmlessly in the natural environment and be injection moulded. Having just won the Earthshot 2022 prize, Notpla is fast on its way to offering a scalable solution. Other considerations include eschewing single-use altogether, and opting instead for refillable packaging solutions that can be used time and time again.
