On September 26, French seaweed biorefinery Algaia and Normandy-based biopolymer manufacturer NaturePlast jointly announced the successful development of a new industrially compostable material derived from algal biomass by-products, marking their entry into the 3D printing and home design sectors.
Under the partnership, Algaia supplies COPAL-a by-product from its "Agris" raw material production line-which NaturePlast blends and modifies with polylactic acid (PLA) to create the new industrially compostable composite material. The material has already been validated through practical design projects, including the 3D printing of custom products such as lighting fixtures and interior décor items.
The key breakthrough of this collaboration lies in transforming biomass by-products from seaweed processing into high-value raw materials for creative design, thereby establishing a complete value chain linking biorefining to end-consumer products.
The companies state that this material offers designers an alternative that combines sustainability with excellent processing characteristics, potentially driving the large-scale adoption of eco-friendly materials within the creative industries.
