Sustainable Plastic Alternatives

Dairy plastic

Made from casein, the protein found in milk, this has been in existence for more than a century but was replaced by synthetic plastics. Lactips have combined the protein with clay and a reactive molecule (glyceraldehyde) to make a hardier plastic that is still biodegrable

Crustacean plastic bags

Chitosan, made from prawn and crab shells has to potential to replace plastic in packaging for food and drinks

Calcium Carbonate Paper

Paper made out of stone. It’s printable, recyclable, water proof and is made from calcium carbonate. Can use used to make FDA certified food grade packaging, paper bags, takeaway food cartons, grease paper wraps and zip-lock bags

Leafy plastic

Instead of single-use plastics made from Styrofoam, bioplastics made from a variety of sources like corn can be broken down into polylactic acid (PLA) Made from the waste products from corn, they can be made into drinks bottles, food grade containers and films.

Green loose fill

Made from corn starch, EcoFlo loose fill is used the same way as polystyrene loose fill in packaging

Mycellum Packaging

Made from mycellum (mushroom roots), Ecovative Design uses agricultural waste with mycellum in moulds to produce packaging

Palm (opeh) leaves

Palm leaves from the areca palm tree can be collected and moulded into the desired shape. In Singapore, the broader stem of the palm leaves is used by Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodle sellers, Char Kway Teow (fried rice noodles) sellers and Hor Fun (Broad rice noodles) sellers as proof of their authentic “oldfashioned” taste street-cred

Sugarcane Packaging

Made from the by-product of sugarcane processing, bagasse is malleable and sticky and can be made into packaging for food delivery, similar to polystyrene. It’s biodegrable and compostable

Edible water bubbles

Water bubbles made of seaweed – bubbles you can eat. Made by Ooho, a UK startup, the manufacturing process uses five times less carbon dioxide and nine times less energy than PET

Barley and Wheat Six-pack ring

Made from barley and wheat buttons from the beer brewing process, Saltwater Brewery in America has produced a six-pack ring for its beer that can are edible ad biodegrable

Silberboard – metallised paper

Recyclable and compostable, Silberboard is an alternative to traditional composite metalised paper and boards

Behavioural Changes

As consumers, we need to demand a switch from the cheap, lower priced disposable appliance back to a higher priced, dependable appliance. From bringing our own metal tiffin food carriers to using washable crockery, we need to realise that the complete cost of an appliance includes the environmental as well as the material cost.

Biodegradable cellophane

Biodegradable and made from wood pulp, NatureFlex is a sustainable cellophane. The uncoated version can be used for chocolate and confectionary, the semi-permeable for fresh produce and iary and the barrier for bakery, snacks, coffee, tea and personal care items