Sway's story begins in Carmel, California, where the forest meets the sea.
That’s where I spent my childhood climbing trees, collecting hermit crabs, and playing jump rope with long strands of kelp. Through my school years, I studied the climate crisis and the many inequities wrought by waste and pollution. My love for nature led me to explore incredible ecosystems all over the world. The more I saw, the more awestruck I was by our planet’s beauty – but also by the ubiquity of plastics spoiling and disfiguring even the most remote corners of Earth.
As a designer building brands and packaging systems, I began to think about how I could critically address a problem so large that it impacts every living being on earth. Comprehensive solutions to the plastic problem didn't seem to exist. When I set off for New York to earn my MFA in Design, I was determined to develop a better solution. That’s when I stumbled upon seaweed: an abundant, benevolent resource that can be transformed into a home-compostable plastic replacement. It turns out, this familiar marine material from my childhood is full of untapped potential!
Joined by my partner of over five years, Matt, we co-founded Sway in 2019 with the vision of building a regenerative future. Since then, we've traveled from California to Peru visiting seaweed farms along the Pacific Coast, explored regions of the world most affected by plastic waste, and met with biomaterial innovators across borders and backgrounds. And now, we’ve built a team of remarkable individuals to bring seaweed replacements for plastics to market. We're so excited for what comes next.
Let's make waves.
Julia Marsh
Sway CEO & Co-Founder
Our Team
Plastic pollution bears immense consequences across human and natural systems. To solve them, we believe that we must unite a team that is just as diverse. Our team includes material engineers, supply chain enthusiasts, product designers, and environmentalists. We've each found ourselves confronted with the same frustrations around plastic packaging – and the drive to do something about it.
Danielle Zola
SUPPLY CHAIN LEAD
Danielle spent years developing scalable, sustainable packaging and sourcing solutions for CLIF Bar before joining our team. Outside of supply chain innovation, she's best known for running marathons and organizing trash clean ups.
Emily Nicholson
SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGIST
Emily’s background is in supply chain innovation in both Argentina and the Dominican Republic. She’s largely responsible for the connections Sway is forming with seaweed farmers, processors, and their communities.
Clint Morris
LEAD MECHANICAL ENGINEER
Clint is passionate about finding the harmonies between agricultural practices and advanced manufacturing solutions to produce sustainable results. On weekends, you'll find him connecting with his rural roots at his family's ranch.
Russell Reed
BRAND & MISSION MANAGER
Russell is a student of geography, fascinated by the deep interconnection between humans and the environmental systems we exist within. He is especially interested in indigenous knowledge and regenerative solutions.
Niall Collins
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIST
Niall is passionate about developing the bioeconomy. His goal is to help shift industries away from fossil-based and resource-intensive supply chains, towards regenerative practices. He's also an avid sailor!
Mike Cheng
SPECIAL ADVISOR
Mike has over 40 years of experience in manufacturing, corporate social responsibility, business strategy, and management. He is an adjunct professor and Advisory Board member at the College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley.
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