Sway

Sway packaging / Source: Sway

BeautyCompostableFlexibleFood & BeverageFood GradeLightweightNorth AmericaPackagingRegenerativeSeaweedTextilesTPSea FlexTransparentVegan

WHAT WE SAY:

TPSea Flex incorporates seaweed—an abundant marine resource that flourishes without the need for farmland, fresh water, or pesticides while supporting healthy ocean ecosystems.

After use, this film naturally decomposes in home or backyard compost, returning valuable nutrients to the soil.

Sway

WHAT IS TPSea Flex?

TPSea Flex is durable and versatile. It can provide puncture resistance, MTVR, and oil and grease barrier properties in addition to abrasion resistance. This flexible film can be converted via existing plastic machinery into a plethora of standard and bespoke formats.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Compostable
Flexible
Food Grade
Lightweight
Regenerative
Transparent
Vegan

INDUSTRY:

Beauty
Food & Beverage
Packaging
Textiles

AVAILABILITY:

Partner Trials

DIVE DEEPER:

Ocean health is in decline due to climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions have caused ocean temperatures to warm by about 1.5° Fahrenheit, acidity to increase 30%, and oxygen levels to decrease 2%, affecting ocean productivity and biodiversity. Climate change has also led to a reduction in commercially important seafood species and could lead to a mass extinction of marine life.
Regenerative ocean farming is a climate-friendly model of aquaculture.
Seaweed grows 30-60x faster than land-based plants, and seaweed farms can store up to 20x more carbon per acre than forests. If 9% of the world's oceans were covered in seaweed farms, they could store the annual planetary carbon budget of more than 40 gigatons a year.

Various shades of Sway film / Source: Sway

Roll of clear Sway film / Source: Sway

KEY FACTS:

60x

Seaweed can grow up to 60 times faster than land-based crops

$3.1 mil

Sway has raised over USD 3.1 million in prize funds and seed funding

48 days

Sway disappears entirely in less than 48 days

Key Questions to Ask:

Can you foot the bill?

Sway expects to reach a competitive price by 2027. In the meantime, the material will come at a premium. Are you able to bridge the gap in order to help scale a regenerative solution?

How will you communicate end-of-life?

According to Marsh, testing revealed that many US consumers just 'don't get' composting due to a lack of availability. Can you increase circular material literacy or make connections to composting schemes?

Can you bring manufacturers on side?

Sway highlights the benefits of plastic it aims to mirror, rather than completely damning the material, which helps to smooth the transition when working with conventional plastics manufacturers. Can you take a diplomatic approach so as to convert rather than alienate people who could become part of the solution?

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