“The world’s most sustainable mass-producible straw” according to Sulapac, it is said to have “strong usability” and is available to both brands and consumers.
It is based on Finnish startup Sulapac’s patent pending material, with the main components being renewable materials such as wood and plant-based binders.
Sulapac defines the material as “microplastic-free”, meaning it is designed to be fully biodegradable in different environments.
Produced with machinery originally designed to produce plastic straws, the straw complies with existing waste systems and is designed to be recycled via industrial composting.
“There’s clearly a large demand for our product, which both fulfils the sustainability criteria and has superior usability. Like all Sulapac materials, the straw is 100% microplastic-free,” said Sulapac chief executive Suvi Haimi.
“It is designed to mimic nature; if the straw accidentally ends up in the ocean, it behaves like a birch leaf and does not harm the ecosystem.”
Stora Enso head of business alliances Marcus Dehlin added: “Billions of plastic straws are produced and used every week, creating harmful waste that often ends up in the sea.
“This renewable and biodegradable material can replace fossil-based materials and help combat plastic waste. Our cooperation with Sulapac allows us to explore new types of innovative and scalable materials and widen our offering of renewable solutions.”
In the first phase, the straws will be available in Europe and a global roll-out will follow.
The first customers include Finnair’s lounges in Helsinki, replacing its plastic and paper straws, food delivery platform Wolt, alcoholic beverage brand company Altia, Hotel St. George, and vegan cafe Kippo, among others.
For end-consumers, the straws will be available in January via Biofutura.com, an online store specialising in compostable tableware and packaging, and online retailer Verkkokauppa.com.
Sulapac has also revealed that it has raised €15m (£12.6m) in a fully subscribed financial round that will drive its scale-up and internationalisation and enable it to expand its portfolio.
Investors include Chanel, Mousse Partners, Sky Ocean Ventures, Bonnier Ventures and Lifeline Ventures, accompanied with a group of private investors.
The partners were carefully chosen with the emphasis on long-term support, commitment to sustainability, and expertise relevant to Sulapac’s growth.
“We are excited that these international players recognise the potential of our innovation and support our mission to save the world from plastic waste,” said Haimi.
