THE PLASTIC ALTERNATIVE EMULATING NATURE

Sulapac Project

DIRECTED BY: EBONY TOMKINSON

ARTICLE

WRITTEN BY: LAURA WATLING

In 2014 it was estimated that there were five trillion plastic particles in the ocean. An alarming figure. Now, in 2023, research indicates that figure is in the realm of 170 trillion.

But how does this plastic waste end up in our planet’s water ways? The bottom line: us.

Poor recycling, littering, leakage from landfills, and flushing waste down toilets and drains all ultimately result in plastic finding its way into the ocean.

Amongst the concerns with the “plastic smog” is a threat to food safety and quality, biodiversity, human health, coastal tourism, and a contributing factor to climate change.

If nothing changes, by 2050 it is believed that there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish.

Whilst no one person will solve the issue, there is a pool of talented scientists and entrepreneurs across the globe battling to find solutions - including Dr Suvi Haimi and Dr Laura Tirkkonen-Rajasalo, cofounders of Sulapac.

Sulapac’s revolutionary new materials offer an alternative to traditional plastic, which is fully biodegradable.

“The materials are also recyclable and made with recycled bio-based content. Features that are central in reaching a sustainable circular bio-economy”, adds Suvi.

Combining Beauty and Function

One of the key selling points of Sulapac’s materials is that it can be processed in existing plastic product machinery.

“Our products make switching from conventional plastic to an eco-friendly alternative easier than you would expect,” explained Suvi.

Sulapac has created materials which can be used for a variety of applications at scale, from cosmetics to food packaging, cutlery and straws.

Amongst its solutions is Sulapac Universal, a 100% bio-based material which biodegrades without leaving permanent microplastics behind and can be recycled, via mechanical or chemical recycling as soon as its available, or industrial composting.

“Sulapac Universal is a fantastic, sustainable alternative to plastic for rigid products such as jars, hangers and luxury packaging,” explained Laura.

The business has also developed Universal Flex 30, a material which is suitable for single-use and reusable cutlery.

“Universal Flex 30 is a sustainable option for injection moulding which ensures easy mass-manufacturing. It’s 78% bio-based, offers excellent flexural strain and impact strength, and complies to EU and FDA food contact regulations. This makes it a brilliant alternative for knives and forks,” Laura continued.

The business also offers a range of Luxe and Luxe Flex materials, considered the ultimate answer for brands seeking a sustainable yet luxurious material for fragrance bottle caps or jar lids.

“The materials have high density, good resistance to temperature fluctuations and they act as an excellent substitute to hard plastics such as ABS. With Sulapac Luxe materials you can create either a shiny or a matt surface depending on your mould selection,” detailed Laura, “Like all info@toly.com www.toly.com

Sulapac materials, they are recyclable and leave no permanent microplastics or toxic load behind”.

In an era where sustainability is high on the agenda for many brands, it is clear why Sulapac is an attractive supplier for major names such as Chanel, Marimekko, and Fazer.

Partnering with Chanel, Sulapac is supporting the $15 billion global brand in the launch of its latest step into sustainability.

N°1 de CHANEL takes an innovative and eco-responsible approach to beauty combining skincare, makeup and a fragrance mist.

Whilst its formulas include naturalorigin and renewable ingredients, it has ensured the product goes full-circle by including eco-designed packaging using sustainable Sulapac material.

“It was fascinating to combine byproducts like camellia seed shells and FSC certified wood chips in this unique packaging material for Chanel. It enabled Sulapac to support Chanel in reducing the environmental footprint of its N°1 de CHANEL product range even further,” said Suvi.

Whilst the sustainable credentials of Sulapac’s materials speak for themselves, customers also value the combination of functionality and beauty.

“As our materials can be used in existing plastic product processing machinery, we’re able to support brands in creating their uniquely styled products, whilst ensuring they have the high-end touch and feel too,” shared Laura, “customer experience is also very high on our agenda, and our team of 27 in Helsinki are united by that”.

Global Injection Moulding Company Offer various moulded products as a strategic partner of Sulapac.

• Made in Germany

• Standard size jars (Cosmetics, Supplements)

• Customized moulded products

Nissha also offers moulded products made mainly from pulp-based materials.

Customer-driven solutions in an ever-changing business world through reliable suppliers are the focal point of APG Europe’s mission. As experts in packaging distribution for the globe’s most innovative companies, the high standards of our suppliers are the starting point of every solution.

Sulapac answers the increasing demand for sustainable packaging – that’s why APG Europe is now a Sulapac partner and specialist in cosmetic and pharmaceutical packaging. With divisions in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, we offer comprehensive answers and results to our customers.

However, this isn’t our first cooperation. As part of the Indutrade holding, we’ve established sustainable partnerships over the last decades with many global market leaders delivering primary packaging materials.

Sustainability: The Driving Force Behind Our Partnership

APG’s customer-oriented, professional packaging specialists work from a passion for packaging which we call “progressive craftsmanship”. When studying the current packaging sector, we recognized there’s an increasing demand for sustainable packaging.

International regulations push companies more and more towards plastic-free solutions and fossil-fuel alternatives. The mindset of people is also gradually shifting towards green products, creating an entirely new packaging market.

Sulapac is the innovation needed in a world where sustainability is the way of the future.

‘High ethical standards and integrity are key in all our business relationships.’

– Paul Muller, Purchasing Manager APG Europe The Beginning of APG and Sulapac’s Partnership

While looking for new sustainable yet innovative packaging solutions, we first came in contact with Sulapac at Luxe Pack 2017. Since then, we’ve introduced Sulapac to our manufacturing partner HK Cosmetics, resulting in the launch of the Sulapac Antonella cosmetic jar range. And after further expanding our cooperation, we’ve become a global distributor of the Sulapac portfolio.

The complete collection of Sulapac’s bio-based products will be available on the APG Sulapac webstore. Our warehouse has more than 5,000 pallet places reserved for our clients to keep their stock. Therefore, Sulapac manufacturers Nissha & Volumatik cosmetic and supplement jars can also be purchased through APG Europe, alongside HK Cosmetics products.

Delivering Much More Than Seamless Distribution

Our knowledge of the highly regulated pharmaceutical packaging sector ensures we guide customers seamlessly through the entire process of launching a new product in Sulapac material. APG contact persons will provide guidance regarding partners for testing and researching. And we can recommend CMO’s & CDMO’s with knowledge and experience in compatibility testing with the Sulapac portfolio. Leaning on our cosmetic expertise, we also ensure you achieve the desired aesthetic with Sulapac packaging. We’ll connect you to APG printing partners to fully customize the decoration of your jar, or you can choose from nine standard Sulapac colors. With these printing solutions, you can order unprinted jars and launch multiple products with original designs, while only ordering one type of Sulapac jar with APG.

Offering the Complete Package to Customers

Low operation costs through Supply Chain Management are more important than ever. APG Europe reduces this expense by organizing and executing each step as efficiently as possible. Our one-stop-shop philosophy encompasses many operational aspects. We can guarantee the highest quality at a low Total Cost of Ownership. This includes the total cost such as the purchasing, logistics, sampling, and quality control of delivered goods.

Our TCO philosophy goes hand in hand with supply chain management. Through call of contracts, we keep Sulapac jars in stock for up to two years, allowing you to fully focus on your product launch. This ensures a minimum order quantity of 10,000 pieces is manageable – even for startups.

‘It’s our passion to ensure the lowest cost for our customers by supply chain integration, quality control and waste reduction’

– Ronald van Haaften, CEO APG Europe

To differentiate ourselves from other distributors, we are now transforming our warehouse towards a Good Distribution Practice (GDP) certified warehouse. With the storage of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), this innovation creates the perfect storage conditions for BioPlastics such as Sulapac.

Much More Than Your Stereotypical Partner

Partnerships work for APG in two ways. We deliver customized solutions and services to our customers. But we also work closely with our network of reliable international suppliers, whom we carefully select. The development of these partnerships takes time. Our cooperation with Sulapac has already been developing for seven years and we’re continually working on executing our long-term vision.

APG Europe is undoubtedly your key supply chain management partner in guiding your brand towards sustainability with the complete Sulapac portfolio.

Small But Mighty

Established in 2016 and with a relatively small team, Sulapac are making huge strides within the sustainable packaging industry.

Both Suvi and Laura hail from a scientific, biomaterial background and found mutual ambition to solve the “plastic waste problem”.

“To be successful you need good innovation, but you also need an enthusiastic, experienced team,” said Suvi, “our team is the cornerstone of the business and it’s essential that we as business leaders do our best to both promote a healthy work-life balance and support our employees in reaching their full potential”.

“By creating a safe environment for our colleagues, we know innovation can blossom,” she continued.

As well as its team, Suvi and Laura are under no illusion that systemic change isn’t vital to Sulapac’s future scale-up.

“Part of the challenge is ensuring that the infrastructure is there for our products to be recycled properly,” shared Laura, who is taking on a key role at Sulapac as Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs.

“Policy makers, waste managers and industry players need to work together to build the infrastructure and support the globe’s overarching sustainability goals,” she continued, “ultimately, the materials need to be recyclable at scale by 2030. What’s important to note is that if our materials were to escape the recycling facility, they would still be safe for the environment”.

Within her role, Laura has also focused research on ensuring Sulapac’s materials are food contact compliant within different geographies.

Collaborating with Fazer, the popular Finnish confectioner, since 2018, Sulapac have researched, developed and tested, compostable packaging solutions, free from permanent microplastics, suitable to contain and package food.

“There is a lot of opportunity for our solutions within the food service sector, which will form part of our growth strategy within the next 18-months,” shared Suvi.

A Plastic Waste Free Future

There is a lot of opportunity for sustainable packaging and recyclable bio-based and biodegradable materials replacing conventional plastic in a range of products within the coming years.

However, to accelerate the green transition, support by government policy makers is needed globally. Sulapac’s cofounders envision Finland leading the change. “We are contributing to making Finland the pioneer of systemic change”, Suvi shares.

From a customer perspective, Sulapac’s focus is currently in Europe, Middle East, and Japan, while expanding in the US and Canada is part of future endeavours.

“We will continue to pursue our strong growth in the cosmetics sector, as well as pay extra attention to the support we can offer to the food industry,” said Suvi, “we will continue to work with our customers on joint marketing projects to bring our bio-based, biodegradable and recyclable products to the fore and influence change”.

There is also a great opportunity for Sulapac to explore new application approaches such as 3D printing and thermoforming.

“We are committed to growing the business – alongside our colleagues, who share our core values of sustainability, creativity, and integrity – and doing our part to accelerate the plastic waste-free future,” shared Laura.

www.sulapac.com