The London-based sustainable packaging developer has developed a fully home-compostable pipette dropper. This sustainable zero-plastic solution has already won over several brands.
Made from a versatile grade of the company’s plastic-free material Vivomer this biodegradable alternative is claimed to mimic the properties of the different materials that are usually part of a dropper pipette: glass, ceramic, plastic and rubber. However, as it is entirely made from one single biodegradable material, the whole product breaks down as one when disposed of.
“Pipette droppers used for serums, oils, and wellness products are typically constructed from fused materials including glass, rubber, and plastic, presenting a sustainability challenge in the beauty industry. Their small size means they slip through recycling equipment, causing nearly all pipette droppers to end up in landfills or incineration facilities, representing millions of units of waste annually,” Shellworks states.
The company developed the innovation with the help of GBP 4.6 million in seed funding raised in 2022. Shellworks’ compostable pipette dropper has already won over UK’s People Care Planet Care (formerly known as Haeckels) and hair care brand Sam McKnight.
Following two years of development, Shellworks claims to be able to produce 2.4 million units of its dropper solution annually with expansion capabilities to meet growing demand. The company reports ongoing discussions with around ten brands in the UK, EU and US.
“Brands no longer have to choose between sustainability and shelf appeal. We designed this dropper to feel as good as it looks, and to disappear responsibly when it’s no longer needed. This represents a fundamental shift from sustainability as an add-on to sustainability as the foundation of product design,” says Amir Afshar, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer at Shellworks.
Made from upcycled waste
Vivomer, the material at the core of Shellworks’ packaging innovations, is naturally plastic-free, petroleum-free, free of toxic additives like BPA and PFAS. According to the company, it is also completely stable in use. It is made from waste biomass such as plants, that is transformed into a plastic-like material through fermentation.
The material breaks down only once disposed of in home compost environments and will even break down in landfills at a similar rate to cellulose.
Shellworks offers other types of Vivomer-based packaging solutions, including jars, bottles, caps, and capsules. Their biodegradable solutions are used for products from several beauty and personal care companies including New Zealand’s fragrance brand Abel, French beauty company Eclo, and refillable personal care brand Wild. Shellworlks claims to have already replaced over 90 tonnes of conventional plastic with its compostable solutions.
“We engineered Vivomer to be a truly industrial material- it’s precise, resilient, and beautiful when moulded,” adds Dr Jay Gaston, Materials Lead at Shellworks. “This dropper proves that even the smallest, most technical packaging challenges can be solved with the right material platform.“
Portfolio
