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MM Blog: Using Algae For Packaging

A look at how bubble wrap could be replaced by ocean algae.

This yearโ€™s Lexus Design competition awarded its top prize to a new material called Agar Plasticity. 
Hailed as a product to replace plastic bubble wrap, the new material is made mainly from agar. Extracted by first boiling and then dehydrating red algae, agar is extremely lightweight, porous and has a feathery structure.

The material can then be frozen for a softer cushion, compressed into a protective film or molded to meet specific packing needs. Unlike common packing materials like Styrofoam and bubble wrap, seaweed-derived Agar Plasticity is environmentally friendly. Rather than ending up in a landfill after use, it can be added to soil to improve water retention. 

SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Could seaweed bubble wrap change the way we ship products? What other products could this material be used for?

Email us or leave your comments below. 

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