An Introduction to Solinatra
Solinatra is the truly sustainable solution to single use plastics. Made of plants, it’s 100% natural and has all of the benefits of plastic and none of the drawbacks. Fully biodegradable and compostable in all situations, Solinatra doesn’t leave behind any microplastics.
Sustainable by design
Developed in response to the issues of plastic pollution and the need for a more circular economy, years of research and development resulted in the creation of an innovative material designed to be accessible, practical and above all, truly sustainable. The end of life considerations were at the forefront of the development: to fulfil the goal of being truly sustainable and low impact Solinatra had to fully degrade without leaving contaminants no matter how it was disposed of.
Made with plant waste from harvested crops, the production of Solinatra is incredibly resource efficient and gives new purpose to existing materials. Solinatra can be used in existing machinery and tooling, enabling a simple transition to environmentally friendly alternatives for brands and manufacturers.
Utilising a waste stream and being compostable means that Solinatra has a circular life cycle. Read more.
The single use plastics problem
Many single use plastic items are used for only a few minutes, but take hundreds of years to breakdown into smaller and smaller fragments but never fully degrade. Microplastics pollute our seas and soil, and contaminate our food chains. It’s estimated that as much of 89% of plastic found in the ocean is from single use items such as food packaging, disposable cutlery and straws1, and the scale of the problem cannot be underestimated: if nothing changes, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish2.
Plastic is a vital material that has enabled huge advances in medical care, personal safety, vehicle safety and is important and necessary in our everyday lives. There are many attributes that make plastic more desirable than alternatives; plastic bumpers make cars safer and lighter, helmets and hard hats are strong and light thanks to plastic, and lives are saved by the use of plastics in prosthetics and pacemakers.
The positive characteristics of plastic must be cherished, but we must move ahead to make single use plastic sustainable.
The truly sustainable solution
Solinatra can be used to make or to package a huge range of single use items, such as food packaging, cup lids, disposable cutlery and on-the-go packaging. We have launched Solinatra with the production of Nespresso® compatible coffee capsules – making it easy for consumers to dispose of capsules responsibly. Over 60 billion capsules are sold each year, and whilst many plastic or aluminium capsules can be recycled – in reality the overwhelming majority end up in landfill3.
We are creating blends of Solinatra to suit all manner of products that would otherwise be polluting and hard to recycle. Focusing on products that are known to be frequently sent to landfill or littered, we are offering a solution to a widespread issue. Solinatra is 100% natural and plant based, and will degrade without harmful pollutants whether it is disposed of in a garden compost bin, with food waste collections or if it goes to landfill.
We’re actively seeking to partner with socially conscious brands who could incorporate our plastic alternative in their products or packaging. We are open to collaborate with all levels of companies, from independent businesses to international chains – coffee based or otherwise!
Get in touch to book a meeting, to discuss how we can collaborate to develop truly sustainable solutions for your products. Email info@solinatra.com or connect on social media.
References:
1 – UN Environment Programme, 2018, ‘Single-use plastic has reached the world's deepest ocean trench’ : www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/single-use-plastic-has-reached-worlds-deepest-ocean-trench
2 – The Guardian, 2016, ‘More plastic than fish in the sea by 2050, says Ellen MacArthur‘ : www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jan/19/more-plastic-than-fish-in-the-sea-by-2050-warns-ellen-macarthur
3 – The Guardian, 2020, ‘How Nespresso's coffee revolution got ground down’ : www.theguardian.com/food/2020/jul/14/nespresso-coffee-capsule-pods-branding-clooney-nestle-recycling-environment