December 2025 Blow Molding Blog
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December 15, 2025
S.Lab Earns OK Home Compost Certification for Mycelium Packaging
S.Lab Earns OK Home Compost Certification for Mycelium Packaging
S.Lab’s mycelium‑based packaging has received TÜV Austria’s OK Home Compost certification, confirming that the material breaks down safely in typical home composting environments. This makes S.Lab the first manufacturer of mycelium packaging to obtain verification that its products decompose under real household compost conditions.
Compostable packaging has grown in demand, but many solutions rely on industrial composting systems that require controlled temperatures, aeration, and specialized processing. Access to these facilities varies widely, which often results in industrially compostable materials being disposed of through conventional waste streams. Home compostable materials, by contrast, are designed to break down in low‑temperature, decentralized settings such as garden compost bins.
The certification indicates that S.Lab’s packaging decomposes without leaving behind harmful residues, microplastics, or toxins. For brands, this provides third‑party confirmation that end‑of‑life performance aligns with on‑pack claims.
The certification also supports regulatory preparedness. With new packaging rules approaching in the EU and other regions, materials backed by formal testing can help reduce compliance risks and limit future redesign needs. Verified compostability also provides data that can be incorporated into ESG reporting, LCAs, and sustainability audits.
S.Lab’s packaging is positioned as an alternative to polystyrene, offering cushioning and protective performance suitable for sectors such as beauty, electronics, beverages, and e‑commerce. The material is designed to function within modern supply chains while offering a certified end‑of‑life pathway.
The company views the certification as one step in its broader effort to scale compostable packaging solutions that meet performance requirements and reduce long‑term waste impacts. Learn more here.
Compostable packaging has grown in demand, but many solutions rely on industrial composting systems that require controlled temperatures, aeration, and specialized processing. Access to these facilities varies widely, which often results in industrially compostable materials being disposed of through conventional waste streams. Home compostable materials, by contrast, are designed to break down in low‑temperature, decentralized settings such as garden compost bins.
The certification indicates that S.Lab’s packaging decomposes without leaving behind harmful residues, microplastics, or toxins. For brands, this provides third‑party confirmation that end‑of‑life performance aligns with on‑pack claims.
The certification also supports regulatory preparedness. With new packaging rules approaching in the EU and other regions, materials backed by formal testing can help reduce compliance risks and limit future redesign needs. Verified compostability also provides data that can be incorporated into ESG reporting, LCAs, and sustainability audits.
S.Lab’s packaging is positioned as an alternative to polystyrene, offering cushioning and protective performance suitable for sectors such as beauty, electronics, beverages, and e‑commerce. The material is designed to function within modern supply chains while offering a certified end‑of‑life pathway.
The company views the certification as one step in its broader effort to scale compostable packaging solutions that meet performance requirements and reduce long‑term waste impacts. Learn more here.
December 30, 2025
New Cellulose‑Based Plastic Offers Scalable Path to Reducing Plastic Pollution in Oceans
New Cellulose‑Based Plastic Offers Scalable Path to Reducing Plastic Pollution in Oceans
A research team in Japan has developed a new plant‑derived plastic that could offer one of the most practical paths yet toward reducing global microplastic contamination. The material is built from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) , a renewable derivative of wood pulp, combined with safe crosslinking chemistry that allows it to break down quickly in natural environments, including seawater.
The work, led by Takuzo Aida at the Riken Center for Emergent Matter Science, focuses on creating a plastic that performs like conventional materials but decomposes without leaving behind persistent fragments. Their latest design, called carboxymethyl cellulose supramolecular plastic (CMCSP), uses polyethylene‑imine guanidinium ions to form a network of reversible “salt bridges.” These bonds give the plastic strength during use but fall apart in salt water, enabling rapid and harmless degradation.
Early versions of the material were strong but brittle, so the team introduced choline chloride, an FDA‑approved plasticizer. This addition lets researchers fine‑tune the plastic’s flexibility, producing textures that range from rigid and glass‑like to soft and stretchable. The resulting films can be made extremely thin (around 0.07 mm) while maintaining transparency, durability, and recyclability.
What makes this breakthrough especially promising is its scalability. All components are inexpensive, widely available, and compatible with industrial processing. The researchers say this version moves beyond conceptual demonstration and into territory suitable for real‑world manufacturing, from packaging to medical devices. Learn more about this topic here.
The work, led by Takuzo Aida at the Riken Center for Emergent Matter Science, focuses on creating a plastic that performs like conventional materials but decomposes without leaving behind persistent fragments. Their latest design, called carboxymethyl cellulose supramolecular plastic (CMCSP), uses polyethylene‑imine guanidinium ions to form a network of reversible “salt bridges.” These bonds give the plastic strength during use but fall apart in salt water, enabling rapid and harmless degradation.
Early versions of the material were strong but brittle, so the team introduced choline chloride, an FDA‑approved plasticizer. This addition lets researchers fine‑tune the plastic’s flexibility, producing textures that range from rigid and glass‑like to soft and stretchable. The resulting films can be made extremely thin (around 0.07 mm) while maintaining transparency, durability, and recyclability.
What makes this breakthrough especially promising is its scalability. All components are inexpensive, widely available, and compatible with industrial processing. The researchers say this version moves beyond conceptual demonstration and into territory suitable for real‑world manufacturing, from packaging to medical devices. Learn more about this topic here.
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