We make regenerative packaging from seaweed.
Our products serve a wide range of applications and industries, including packaging for apparel, home goods, cosmetics, and food.
MATERIALS THAT REPLENISH THE PLANET, FROM SEA TO SOIL • MATERIALS THAT REPLENISH THE PLANET, FROM SEA TO SOIL • MATERIALS THAT REPLENISH THE PLANET, FROM SEA TO SOIL
Product Attributes
+ 100% Certified Biobased
+ Majority seaweed
+ Home compostable
+ Durable, heat sealable
+ Printable
+ Plastic-free
Materials that replenish life from sea to soil.
Regeneration goes beyond the call for sustainability, encouraging us to design not simply to avoid harm, but to restore and replenish our aching planet.
01
Made from responsibly sourced seaweed
02
Nontoxic, plastic-free & nutrient rich
03
Home & industrially compostable
04
Healthy ecosystems & communities
Why Seaweed?
Sway uses the natural polymers abundantly found in different types of seaweed as the basis of all our material formulations.
These extracted polymers help us to mimic the compelling qualities of plastic, without the downsides. Better yet, seaweed is an abundant, diverse resource that requires no land, fresh water, or fertilizer to grow. Sway materials enable a shift away from carbon-intensive inputs, towards a truly regenerative resource that gives more than it takes.
Sway is in the world!
Sway seaweed packaging is officially live! We're activating plastic-free solutions with mission-aligned fashion, home goods and food brands eager to eliminate plastic from their supply chains.
Why does this matter?
160,000 plastic bags, wrappers and pouches are produced every second. Every year, 8 million metric tonnes of plastic finds its way into the ocean. Plastic waste has been found on the world’s most remote islands, its deepest seafloors, and its highest peaks.
But plastic isn’t just about pollution — it’s about petroleum. 99% of plastic is made from fossil fuels. Over the next 20 years, plastic is expected to represent 95% of net growth in demand for oil. With renewable materials, we can turn off the petroleum tap.
Product FAQs
WHAT DOES SWAY PACKAGING LOOK AND FEEL LIKE?
Our products look and feel much like traditional plastic – transparent and smooth. We are able to customize these films in a range of natural colors and textures, from green and speckled, to blue and translucent.
HOW DOES SEAWEED TURN INTO PACKAGING?
Sway sources seaweed from ocean farms and processors. Farmers harvest and dry the seaweed, and processors extract its natural polymers. We blend these polymers with renewable starches and sugars, then transform this proprietary formulation into packaging with the help of manufacturers. Zero plastic involved!
WHERE DOES THE SEAWEED COME FROM?
We source seaweed from a global network of vetted ocean farms and processors who cultivate seaweed responsibly.
IS THERE ENOUGH SEAWEED IN THE WORLD?
Annual seaweed cultivation has grown to over 30 million metric tons worldwide – more than doubling in the last decade. Sway works closely with partner farms and processors to contribute new research around the impacts of seaweed farming including biodiversity, water quality, carbon sequestration, and social impact. Through these partnerships, we ensure the benefits of seaweed farming are prioritized as demand rises. Read more on our Impact page.
HOW DO I DISPOSE OF SWAY PACKAGING?
Composting is the way to go! Throw it in your home compost, green bin, or any other compost method available. Municipal offerings, farm programs, or private services are often available locally with a little research. If no composting options exist, you can dispose of our material in the trash — don’t try to recycle it!
HOW LONG DOES SWAY PACKAGING TAKE TO DECOMPOSE?
In a home compost, our products typically decompose within 1-2 months. In industrial facilities, our products will decompose within 48 days.
CAN I RECYCLE SWAY PACKAGING?
No. If you don’t have access to compost, please place our packaging in the trash. Your local recycling facility thanks you!
Stay in the loop!
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated as our product offering expands.
