By the year 2050, the amount of plastic waste in the ocean is projected to outweigh the fish that are surviving in the waters. This harsh reality is serving as a wakeup call for the people that inhabit a suffocating Earth.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation and OpenIdeo ran a contest that focused on finding solutions for the Earth's problem in plastic waste. In their contest, Circular Design Challenge, the focus is on the plastic items that are most likely not recycled. Their list includes seasoning sachets, wrappers, and coffee cup lids. Six winners of a million dollars were announced to participate in a year-long accelerator program in 2018. Evoware, an Indonesian startup is one of the winners.
David Christian, the co-founder of Evoware, expressed an urgent need to stop the production of plastic waste starting from the root. Being a company based and built in Indonesia, Christian and his team have witnessed at first-hand the excessive plastic waste that is taking over the oceans. In fact, four of the most polluted rivers in the world is located in Indonesia.
Evoware has the vision to provide innovative and environmentally friendly solutions to their urban society with a lifestyle that is more responsible and sustainable. The raw material that the company uses is seaweed which will have a positive impact on both the environment and to the livelihood of seaweed farmers.
One of the company's projects is the production of food wrappers that are made of seaweed. Their seaweed-based packaging has been granted with a halal and safety guarantee certificate as well as its patent. The product dissolves in hot water, which means that it is safe for consumption. If the consumer does not like the taste of the product to mix in with their food, disposing of the packaging by scattering them on plants or gardens would be suggested. The item will then act as a fertilizer which will benefit the plants. The edible and nutritious food wrappers are said to have high fiber content, enriched with vitamins and minerals. If to be used for commercial purposes, taste or flavor of the seaweed-based packaging can be customized. Logos can be printed on it as well as be sealed using heat.
The two kinds of packaging that Evoware offers are edible grade and biodegradable grade. The edible seaweed-based wrappers are those used to wrap food like burger wraps, coffee sachets, and dry seasoning sachet. Biodegradable wrappers are those used for soap packaging. All Evoware products like the seaweed based packaging and seaweed cup are available on their website.
