PA Consulting (PA), the global innovation and transformation consultancy, has joined forces with Searo Labs, innovators in sustainable materials, to develop cutting-edge seaweed-based products that offer alternatives to plastic and single-use items. The collaboration is focused on accelerating and scaling the adoption of seaweed-based materials in consumer products and packaging within the food, personal care, and home care sectors. The products could have considerable potential for adoption by global brands and manufacturers, and aim to significantly reduce the global use of single-use plastics and PFAS chemicals, also known as ‘forever chemicals’.
Searo Labs has developed the seaweed-based technology and brings materials formulation know-how and intellectual property (IP) to the collaboration. The company has formulated a unique family of materials that harness the strengths of seaweed – a fast-growing and abundant resource – and other natural ingredients. PA will help to accelerate the scale-up and commercialisation of the technology, drawing on its extensive experience in this field.
Searo materials are food contact safe, home compostable, moisture and texture controllable, optically clear, and heat sealable. Every step of the process is carefully considered from an environmental standpoint, from sustainable cultivation practices and local processing, to low-energy technology and no chemical modifications. The potential applications are vast, ranging from film packaging for fresh food to dissolvable shampoo and detergent pods, and feminine care products.
Searo Labs’ research and development is currently based across two sites: at Cambridge Science Park and at PA’s Global Innovation and Technology Centre in Cambridge UK, the heart of PA’s international network of design studios, research labs and engineering centres. Searo Labs and PA have developed scalable manufacturing processes using existing machinery to meet global demand for sustainable products and packaging.
PA has a long history of accelerating the commercialisation and scale-up of sustainable product and packaging technologies. Its partnership with PulPac is advancing dry molded fiber technology to reduce plastic waste in bottles, blister packs, and other packaging in the personal care, beauty, food, and healthcare industries. PA also designed refill packaging for the Dunnet Bay Rock Rose gin range, transforming their spirits business, and is collaborating with Kemira, a global leader in sustainable chemical solutions, to develop new renewable barrier coatings for more sustainable food packaging.
Steven Clarke, process engineering and industrial automation expert at PA, said: “Helping brands to reach their sustainability goals sits at the heart of this collaboration. The urgent need to reduce plastics and harmful chemicals like PFAS in our environment requires innovative solutions. This novel seaweed-based technology has the potential to make a big impact across a wide range of products that people use daily. Together we can industrialise and commercialise this solution, and develop first to market innovations.”
Francis Field, Co-Founder of Searo Labs, said: “Our partnership with PA is an opportunity for global brands to gain access to Searo’s cutting-edge material technology, relying on PA’s proven ability to deliver real-world solutions for industry. Searo’s mission is to put an end to single-use plastic by commercialising seaweed-based natural alternatives, and projects as big as this cannot be addressed by one company alone. We are therefore delighted to join forces with PA to create plastic-free solutions that aim to revolutionalise the FMCG industry.”
Discover more at paconsulting.com and connect with PA on LinkedIn and X.
Discover more at searolabs.com and connect with us on Linkedin and Instagram.