Margarita Talep’s algae-based packaging
Say goodbye to plastic packaging with an ultra-short lifetime and toxic production methods! Margarita Talep has developed a new kind of bioplastic produced entirely using organic elements.
What if we did away with single-use plastic packaging that continues to pollute our environment for good? We can at least seriously envisage this thanks to the Chilean designer Margarita Talep, who has just developed a promising material formulated from marine algae.
Designed as a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to plastic, this new-generation packaging contains only organic ingredients, primarily agar, a gelatinous substance extracted from red algae by boiling.
a 100% natural production method
Added to water, along with a natural additive and polymer, a kind of bioplastic is obtained whose characteristics (suppleness, resistance, thickness, etc.) can vary depending on the doses used and the temperature at which the elements have been heated and cooled. In terms of aesthetics, this material takes on soft, warm colours that are also obtained in a completely natural way thanks to vegetable dyes extracted from cauliflower, carrot or beetroot. In short, it’s a versatile material that allows Margarita Talep to envisage a varied range of eco-friendly packaging.
the plastic of the future?
“I believe that biomanufacturing will be an important part of future industries,” stated Margarita Talep, while qualifying: “As long as all the processes of extracting these raw materials and their manufacture are done with environmental awareness.” Although certain bioplastics are criticised for only decomposing at temperatures above 30°C, the entrepreneur emphasises that their breakdown is no less effective. In fact, the material takes about two months to decompose in summer, depending on its thickness, and around three to four months to break down completely in winter. This is quite a feat when you bear in mind, for example, that a conventional plastic bottle takes between 100 and 1,000 years to completely break down in nature.
A reason to unquestionably support Margarita Talep’s invention and also take the opportunity to discover the new innovations, eco-designs and eco-friendly initiatives found in Promostyl’s latest “AW20-21 Influences” study (from page 16 onwards), which is also available in the AW20-21 Foundation Pack.
