Mediterranean island countries: Developing sustainable packaging based on seaweed
Plastic pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges in the world. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste accumulate in landfills and marine ecosystems, causing long-term ecological damage.
On May 11, 2025, Natural Edge, a materials research company in Malta, an island country in the central Mediterranean, is developing alternatives through the SUSTAInPack project, aiming to create seaweed-based degradable packaging films as a viable alternative to traditional plastics.
The SUSTAInPack project focuses on developing compostable high-performance biofilms for food and industrial packaging. Many existing degradable materials often lack mechanical strength and water resistance, and sometimes even contain synthetic additives that may affect biodegradability. In contrast, NaturalEdge's research focuses on optimizing the performance of biopolymer-based films to ensure that their functionality is comparable to traditional plastic packaging such as plastic wrap.
A key direction of the research is to explore seaweed-derived biopolymers, a rich and sustainable source of raw materials. Seaweed farming does not require fresh water, fertilizer or arable land, making it an environmentally advantageous option for packaging applications. To ensure the film meets industry standards, the research focused on optimizing several key properties:
Transparency: This is critical for food packaging, as consumers need to see the food before purchasing;
Mechanical properties: Make the film strong, durable, stretchable and handleable;
Waterproofing: Ensure that the food is protected from moisture and external contaminants.
Through a combination of material characterization techniques, product testing, and iterative formulation adjustments, the team has developed biofilm compositions that achieve the best balance between structural integrity and biodegradability. One of the main research challenges was to improve the water resistance of bio-based films while ensuring compostability - many degradable materials are hydrophilic, tend to absorb moisture and lose mechanical strength. The team successfully overcame the water resistance issue through a proprietary blend.
NaturalEdge is currently investigating ways to scale up production to ensure the biofilm technology transitions from laboratory research to commercial applications, and is also seeking investment opportunities. The SUSTAInPack project is funded by XJENZA (formerly MCST) through the FUSION: R&I Research Excellence Program.
