A company based in Israel has created fully compostable packaging solutions made from upcycled sugar cane waste that can be used for greasy, wet, or hot food.
W-cycle has set out to bring a no-compromise replacement for plastic packaging. The company has created and patented a compostable, non-coated food packaging solution from a new material called SupraPulp. The packaging will not leak nor absorb liquids and oils. You can heat food in SupraPulp up to 270˚c and freeze it in as low as -40˚c.
The key to W-cycle’s innovation comes from the sugarcane industry, the crop is predominantly grown in tropical countries as both a food and fuel source.
According to the International Institute for Sustainable Development, sugarcane supplies 86 percent of the world’s sugar and is a key biofuel feedstock as it is highly efficient in converting sunlight into energy.
W-cycle is particularly interested in the dry, pulpy, and fibrous residue that remains after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juice, this residue is known as ‘bagasse’. Sugarcane bagasse is an abundant by-product of the sugar industry, currently, most of it ends up in landfill or is burned.
W-cycle has named its patented, plastic-free packaging made from 100 percent bagasse ‘SupraPulp’ which is being marketed as a replacement for plastic, aluminium, or foam containers. SupraPulp has unique characteristics compared to standard bagasse containers that make it suitable for fresh, frozen or prepared consumer packaged meals.
While SupraPulp is industrial and seed compostable, the company has recently applied to also be recognised as home compostable.
W-cycle has already started working with companies around the world including, Australia, France, Chile, Brazil, Japan, the UK, and New Zealand and is on a mission to rid the world of plastic by offering food packaging solutions that contribute to the environment and value chain of both nature and humans.
