Tag: Packaging

Paper could replace polystyrene packaging. In Germany, meanwhile, a research team has been developing a process whereby paper bags are made without adhesives. Materials found in paper, you see, already have adhesive properties. First an initial layer of paper is irradiated with a carbon monoxide laser, causing the cellulose and lignin within to break up - similar to melting...

We have octopuses to thank for sustainable suncream. Environmentally-friendly containers for the cosmetics industry, in turn, are the brainchild of a female founder’s startup in London. Their process entails fermenting plant waste and converting it into bio-based synthetic materials. They can be hard or soft, matt or glossy. The products have been certified for home composting by a testing organisation...

Paper from banana plant waste protects potatoes from parasites. Whereas fresh fruits with low pH value are susceptible to fungal contamination. But a Brazilian research team has found a way to keep fungi away longer using antioxidants from pomegranate peel and chitosan, extracted from the inner shell of squid. The two substances were mixed with gelatine, creating a film...

Sawdust can replace polystyrene. Now a team led by an American design and engineering student has discovered another way to manufacture sustainable packaging material. The team mixed coffee grounds, brown rice flour, Reishi mushroom spores, xanthan gum and water to form a paste, which was 3D printed into different objects. These were then kept in a closed container for ten...

Unfolding pasta saves on packaging. Now a Finnish consortium is experimenting with different folding techniques to create a durable cardboard packaging alternative to plastic and polystyrene. Inspiration came from the Japanese Miura origami method. The team pooled its knowledge of geometry, maths, art and design, as well as materials science and mechanical engineering, to create a number of 3D...

Sustainable paper can be produced from fallen leaves, while new furniture can be 3D printed with the help of sawdust. Now, a startup from Serbia is focusing its attention on a different waste product, using bark from trees to manufacture bioplastics. The team buys the typically incinerated bark from timber companies. It is ground to a fine powder, before...

Mobile and solar-powered beds can provide speedy relief to babies with jaundice. During outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Ebola or Polio, however, many doses of vaccines are required locally. To help with logistics and storage, a research team from MIT has developed a mobile printer to produce vaccination patches. They can be stored at room temperature for months....

Paper made from banana plants protect potatoes from pathogens. An important development for a Swedish design studio, which has produced a curved juice bottle made from a potato starch-based material. It dissolves in water after use and can also be eaten or composted. Thanks to a double-sided, biodegradable coating, the bottle can withstand liquid contents. Once empty, the material...