Sway

A Sway carrier bag / Source: Sway

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WHAT WE SAY:

The ocean has become a symbol of the scale of global plastic pollution, but it could also be the source of a regenerative, scalable solution to the problem.

US-based startup Sway aims to create thin film alternatives from seaweed to replace everyday single-use plastics, such as polybags, retail bags and wrappers, which regenerate rather than damage the planet. Helmed by designer Julia Marsh, the concept adheres to the circular premises we champion on this platform. There is no proof of concept yet, but the company is launching a trial, which could see it replace between 1,000 and 300,000 retail and polybags across CVS, Walmart and Target. Watch this space.

Sway seaweed-based film / Source: Sway

ABOUT SWAY

Sway is an award-winning US-based startup, which is innovating home-compostable, seaweed-based replacements for everyday single-use plastics.
Its product range includes polybags, retail bags, sealed pouches and wrappers.
The products have a 12-month lifespan and Sway claims the material can be "composted in your backyard after use." Details of certifications or standards regarding specific timelines and composting conditions are not yet available, but the company is working with the Compost Manufacturing Alliance to ensure its seaweed materials will be compatible with industry standards.
Seaweed can grow at between 30 to 60 times the rate of land-based plants and can sequester 20 times more carbon per acre than forests. To source the seaweed for its film, Sway partners with communities that have been affected by global overfishing and climate change. Harvesting requires no pesticides or fertilisers and little equipment, making it an accessible, low-cost industry to enter into.
The company works exclusively with seaweed farms that adhere to Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Marine Stewardship Council standards.
Sway’s material works within existing manufacturing processes, making it easy to scale.
Sway raised a USD 2.5 million seed round in April 2021. It has seven investors, including green investment firm Climate Capital and Sustainable Ocean Alliance – an investment firm that advances the impact of startups and youth-centred initiatives that are developing solutions to protect and sustain the ocean.
In March 2023, the company won first place in the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize; at COP26 it was named a semi-finalist in the Blue Climate Initiative’s Ocean Innovation Prize and in February 2021, it was selected as a winner of Closed Loop Partners’ Beyond the Bag Challenge.
The startup partnered with shoe brand Ales Grey to introduce compostable footwear packaging in June 2023. Replacing traditional shoeboxes, the biobased film pouches make a 50% saving on overall packaging and are considerably lighter to ship.
As part of the Beyond the Bag initiative, Sway launched a pilot in 2022, replacing 1,000 and 300,000 retail and polybags across retailers, such as CVS, Target and Walmart.
It is also a member of the 1% For The Planet initiative, which commits companies to giving back 1% of their annual revenue to non-profits that focus on solutions in climate, food, land, pollution, water and wildlife.