Sway is Creating a Biodegradable, Seaweed-Based Solution to the World’s Plastic Crisis

In 2023, the world’s addiction to plastic became more urgent than ever, with the United Nations issuing a report that declared plastic pollution had become a global emergency. With 1 trillion pounds of plastic produced each year, and less than 10% of that recycled, finding a plastic-free solution to packaging has become one of the most critical environmental issues of our time. 

Enter Sway, a biomaterials startup utilizing polymers found in seaweed to replace the functionality of petroleum-based plastic while working in harmony with the Earth’s ecosystems. 

Founded by Julia Marsh, Matt Mayes, and Leland Maschmeyer, Sway is not the first startup to focus on harnessing seaweed to replicate plastic, but their products are certainly some of the most impressive. The company states it uses extracted polymers known as “phycocolloids” to produce next-generation material that can outperform petroleum plastic’s many useful properties. 

Aiming to be a “case study in regenerative design”, Sway’s biobased, clear plastic is also fully biodegradable and can be composted at home. 

To obtain its raw material, Sway partners with coastal communities that have been severely affected by global overfishing and other ecological hardships and assists them in cultivating seaweed – which the company notes is inexpensive, doesn’t need fertilizers or pesticides, and uses little equipment. 

Sway adds that its entire production process is designed to integrate easily with existing machinery. 

Supporting aquaculture

By working with existing infrastructure and applying regenerative practices throughout its value chain, the company says it is determined to create materials that “replenish the planet, from sea to soil.” In addition to lifting the burden of plastic pollution off the world’s landfills and oceans, Sway says seaweed aquaculture offers a climate-resilient solution for numerous coastal economies. 

To support its mission, the company has so far raised $2.5M in pre-seed funding. 

As Sway states online: “Choosing Sway means actively shifting away from carbon-intensive inputs like petroleum and championing a regenerative resource that restores natural and social ecosystems.”