Finnish start-up wins circular economy award for alternative packaging

Finnish-start-up Sulapac has won the 2017 Green Alley Award, the first European award for start-ups dedicated to the promotion of the circular economy, by providing an alternative to plastic packaging for cosmetics.

Suvi Haimi and Laura Kyllönen, co-founders of Sulapac, created sustainable packaging made out of wood and natural adhesives. The product is fully biodegradable and  made of renewable and sustainable raw materials.

Patrick Schulz, CEO of Landbell Group, a member of the jury committee, said: “The decision was not an easy one, but we agreed on Sulapac because of its huge impact on one of the biggest problems of our times – plastic waste”.  

Earlier this November, Sulapac was also selected as the winner of the Sustainable Packaging category at the Sustainable Beauty Awards in Paris.

Suvi Haimi, CEO of Sulapac said: “This autumn has been incredible, and we are truly honoured to receive these international recognitions”.

“Sulapac packages replace plastic with a fully biodegradable patented solution. We have invested in designs and premium appearance to offer a truly interesting alternative to cosmetics and luxury brands”.

The innovative packaging offers a fully functional alternative to traditional packaging materials as it can be mass-produced using existing methods and infrastructure facilities and  the material can be shaped into different forms.

Patrick Schulz added: “Just one year old, the start-up demonstrates how an idea can be successfully implemented and accelerated in a very short time. In Finland, for example, the cosmetics line Niki Newd is already using jars by Sulapac for its products. We see great potential in this packaging solution and look forward to seeing Sulapac on the shelves of local drugstores”.

Other finalists included Mimergy, a start-up aiming to reduce waste from tires; Solmove for an innovative idea to use solar power on streets; Newcy, which created a reusable cup system; Sulftools, which developed an alternative to peptide manufacturing production and Sustonable, which has created composite stone for kitchens and bathrooms.

You can learn more about the Green Alley Award here and more on Sulapac here. 

Photo credits: Verpackungs-Rundschau