Stora Enso and Startup Sulapac Join Forces to Produce Renewable & Biodegradable Straws

Finland’s Stora Enso, a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials (pulp and other products extracted biochemically from wood), wooden constructions and paper, has teamed up with Helsinki-based startup Sulapac to produce a demo of a sustainable straws.

Stora Enso has a joint development agreement with Sulapac to license the startup’s biocomposite materials and technology, which is said to complement Stora Enso’s biocomposite portfolio. Produced with Sulapac’s biocomposite material—made of wood and natural binders—the demo straw is designed to be recycled via industrial composting or can biodegrade in a marine environment. Stora Enso is aiming to launch the straws commercially in the second quarter of 2019.

“This is an important step for Stora Enso and showcases our long-term commitment to gradually replacing fossil-based materials with renewable solutions. Our collaboration with Sulapac is a great example of what we can achieve through partnership in terms of driving innovation to create sustainable solutions within the bioeconomy,” says Annica Bresky, executive v.p., Consumer Board division.

According to Stora Enso’s sr. v.p Hannu Kasurinen, head of the Liquid Packaging & Carton Board division, different biocomposite products, such as renewable caps and closures and straws will be add-ons and a complement to their consumer board portfolio,

The demo straw was launched in September at Slush 2018, in Singapore—a global leading startup event-gathering of 20,000 technology enthusiasts. Said Sulapac’s founder and CEO Suvi Haimi, “Today, we proudly announce that we are launching a demo for a recyclable, microplastic-free and marine biodegradable straw. This is the world’s most sustainable straw that can be produced on an industrial scale and we have jointly developed it with Stora Enso. Billions of plastic straws are produced and used every week. This straw has the potential to be a true game changer.”