Project Summary: Describe your contribution in one sentence

We innovate and manufacture seaweed-based bioplastics to reduce single-use plastic waste pollution and GHG emissions and to uplift the livelihood of seaweed farmers.

What are the additional countries or territories of impact?

Japan, United Arab Emirates, and global

Challenge Focus: What topic does your project most directly relate to?

Website URL(s) or social media handles

https://www.biopac.id

The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve?

Plastic emits CO2 during production and waste management. Plastic and its disintegrating particles cause adverse effects on all living things, including plants, animals, and humans. The fact that water and snow in Antarctica are contaminated with plastic fragments alerts us that there is no place left without plastic pollution, even though it is remote. Plastic polybags decrease soil porosity and crop production. Regardless of the method of waste management, the plastic laminate in the rice wrap and teabag may migrate and be consumed along with the warm rice and tea drink. The fact that water and snow in Antarctica are contaminated with plastic fragments alerts us that there is no place left without plastic pollution. The animals mistake plastic waste as feed or are entrapped in it. Microplastic is present in the air, sea salt, and water. The most terrifying fact is that microplastics accumulate in human lungs, blood, and the placenta. It's been found that microplastic in the placenta leads to preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction.

The governments of many countries have banned single-use plastic as shopping bags, but there are still many other formats of single-use plastic polluting the environment. Despite its negative effects, single-use packaging is still needed to maintain product hygiene, facilitate product delivery, and provide consumer convenience.

Your connection and commitment: How close are you to the problem and/or the community impacted?

1. We strive to make the entire production process as environmentally friendly as possible, starting from the optimization of seaweed cultivation, solar-based drying and shipment, product innovation, the manufacturing process, and distribution.
2. We create jobs in our factory for urban people who come from low-income families and could not afford college study. We pay them well so they can feed their family, and when they have kids, they can afford a good education for their kids.
3. We empower seaweed farmers by sourcing seaweed from their cooperatives.
4. We do not involve harmful chemicals during seaweed cultivation or the Biopac manufacturing process.
5. We have human resources, a sheet production machine with a monthly capacity of 10000 sqm, and a sealing machine with a daily capacity of 9000 sachets, pouches, and gussets.
6. We have provided printing services since March 2023.
7. We have launched Biopac® ink, which is applicable to our sheets, papers, and fabrics since March 2023.
8. Biopac® will have been certified as a home compostable product in June 2023.
9. Biopac® has had a Certificate of Conformity from TUV since January 2022.
10. Biopac® is available in local, overseas, and global marketplaces.
11. We just finished the characterization of Biopac® cling wrap. 

Your approach: How are you enabling other people to identify as green changemakers? How are you influencing them to get involved in your initiative or care about the issue you are addressing?

Biopac® effectively tackles the problem of single-use plastic and GHG emissions at every stage, from the raw materials to the intended use, without sacrificing the convenience of users. Our value chain involves seaweed cultivation, which absorbs CO2 from seawater that contributes to global warming, making it environmentally beneficial.

Biopac® is not only affordable but also eco-friendly, biodegradable, compostable, and free from harmful chemicals. It has a shelf life of up to two years when stored in an airtight container. We strive to make the entire production process as environmentally friendly as possible, starting from the optimization of seaweed cultivation, solar-based drying and shipment, product innovation, the manufacturing process, and distribution. As a pioneer in seaweed-based bioplastic development and manufacturing, we hold five patents on seaweed-based products and packaging.

Biopac®'s product range includes sheets, sachets, gussets, pouches, shopping bags, and seal tape, which are versatile and suitable for various sectors such as food, skincare, hair care, retail, hospitality, and more. We distribute Biopac® worldwide in a B2B model. Biopac® is printable and compatible with automatic sachet machines (https://youtube.com/shorts/CXkRvFrNozQ) and vacuum packaging, making it ideal for mass-produced consumer goods (https://youtube.com/shorts/k-KubPv7Zu4). We also offer Biopac® in three grades, including edible packaging products for the food industry. Furthermore, we have expanded our product line to include an ink product for packaging printing purposes that is made from seaweed, further increasing the eco-friendliness of our packaging products.

Community involvement: How is your approach involving community participation, especially the historically marginalized groups?

1. We source the seaweed directly from the seaweed farmers' cooperative. In the seaweed farmers' community, women have an important role in preparing the seedlings, doing post-harvest processing, and managing the cash flow.
2. We create jobs in our factory for urban people who come from low-income families and could not afford college study. We pay them well so they can feed their family, and when they have kids, they can afford a good education for their kids.
3. We donate Biopac to SMEs that could not avoid single-use packaging for their product but could not pay for it without a discount.

Your Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions already out there? How is your approach original and innovative? We are particularly interested in solutions that use regenerative approaches.

Biopac's direct competitors in the seaweed-based packaging market include ZeroCircle, Sway, and Oceanium. However, Biopac has a unique advantage in its compatibility with vacuum packaging chambers, making it a more convenient option for many customers. Additionally, Biopac stands out by offering seaweed-based ink for logo and product information printing, providing a complete eco-friendly solution.

Indirect competitors to Biopac's bioplastic products include cassava starch-based bio-bags, such as Telobag, the "I'm not plastic" bag, and Evoworld. While PLA and starch-based bioplastics were initially thought to be biodegradable, a 2019 study by Kopernik revealed that these materials do not significantly degrade in six months, thereby highlighting the importance of Biopac's biodegradability competitiveness. Moreover, the use of seaweed as a raw material does not require land for cultivation, eliminating the deforestation threat associated with cassava-based bioplastics.

Compared to other seaweed-based packaging brands, Biopac sources its seaweed directly from Indonesian farmers, promoting social impacts in the region. The production process of Biopac does not involve any hazardous chemicals, ensuring the preservation of the nutrients in seaweed. Overall, Biopac's unique advantages and ethical production practices make it a standout player in the seaweed-based packaging market.

Founding Story: Share a story about the "Aha!" moment that led the founder(s) to get started or the story of how you saw the potential for this to succeed.

The idea of making seaweed sheets came on a hot day in 2006 when Nory (our cofounder) felt thirsty and bought a cocktail from a street food vendor. That cocktail comprises jackfruit, sugar palm fruit, seaweed, and coconut milk. The seaweed caught my attention. I imagined that if I could press 8 mm of seaweed diameter into 0.1 mm of thickness, we could get an 80 mm-wide flat sheet. Then, I collected some big branches of seaweed and brought them home, where I explored them for a few days.

The second aha moment came when our customers needed our packaging to be printed with eco-friendly or even edible ink. We could not find edible ink at an affordable price. Soy ink is costly, and garment and episcreen ink are not environmentally friendly. We spent six months figuring out the right combination of ink and printing methods. We tried various printing methods and machines, including laser jet, inkjet, and Deskjet printers; manual stamping; pad printing machines; and screen printing, and we found that the best combination of ink and printing methods is seaweed-based ink and screen printing, in terms of printing cost, speed, and environmental impact. The "aha" moment came when we realized that we did not need a chemical solvent to dissolve the ink; our seaweed-based ink could dry instantly and was also applicable to other printing media, such as fabric, cardboard, and paper.

Impact: How has your project made a difference so far? How is it contributing to a zero-carbon world- where every person thrives, and nobody gets left behind?

Our initiative creates environmental and social impacts. The environmental impacts highlight the volume of single-use plastic replaced by Biopac® and the proximity of CO2 sequestration throughout the seaweed cultivation process. The social impact highlights the impact of Biopac® production on the income of seaweed farmers and the number of seaweed farmers whose income has increased due to supplying seaweed to Biopac®. This information will demonstrate our positive impact on the local community.

Over the initial three years of Biopac's operation, we have successfully manufactured and distributed 2,484 kg of our bioplastic products to 156 customers spanning 25 different countries. By replacing traditional plastic, we have effectively prevented 14.9 tons of CO2 emissions, further aiding in mitigating ocean acidity and climate change. In addition, we have bought 3.5 tons of seaweed, which absorbs 6.3 tons of CO2 during cultivation, contributing to our overall carbon offset efforts.

Our products have played a crucial role in preventing the increasing accumulation of microplastics in the environment, including air, soil, water, and even unintended microplastic consumption by living beings, including humans. We aim to at least triple our impact in the next two years, along with the wider usage of Biopac’s products worldwide.

What’s Next: What are your ideas for taking your project to the next level?

1. By the end of this year, we will have launched Biopac® rolls for cling wrap and sachet-making using an automatic sachet-making and filling machine.
2. We will do market research, apply for home compostability certification, and launch the Biopac® disposable coffee cup thereafter.
3. In three years, we will scale up our sheet and cup production capacity threefold and cut the selling price until it is affordable for the majority of business sectors so that we can make a significant contribution to decreasing plastic waste.
4. Within 5 years, we will launch other forms of single-use plastic that are unavoidable; there is still no environmentally friendly alternative, and we have the know-how to make them.

Your team: What is the current composition of your team (types of roles, qualifications, full-time vs. part-time, board members, etc.), and how do you plan to evolve the team’s composition as the project grows?

Our management consists of two shareholders and two advisors with different expertise and experience but a similar passion to tackle plastic waste pollution. Noryawati (the director) is a food chemist who has been conducting research on developing bioplastics since 2010 and has earned five patents on the material. Indrawati (the chairwoman) is an industrial engineer with 10 years or more of experience in manufacturing companies as a PPIC before she advanced her career as a fund manager. Asaf (the technical advisor) is a doctor in chemical engineering with expertise in factory scale-up and seaweed processing. Selda (Business Development Advisor) is an accountant with experience as a business consultant and seaweed farmers community empowerment advocate before she advanced her career as a senior manager in a bank. We are supported by a production team and mutual partners, consisting of a seaweed farmers cooperative and marketing partners in Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

Operational Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure operational sustainability.

The reason we established Biopac was to provide seaweed-based packaging to solve plastic waste pollution. By using seaweed, an effective CO2 sequestering agent, we mitigate climate change, reduce ocean acidity, and improve ocean productivity. We empower seaweed farmers and secure seaweed demand continuously, so they can afford good health and well-being. In seaweed farming, women have an important role in preparing the seedlings, doing postharvest processing, and managing the cash flow. By replacing conventional plastic, we promote sustainable cities and communities as well as responsible consumption and production.

We ensure sustainability in our operation. We integrate some sustainable practices into our business operations. We create jobs in our factory for urban people who come from low-income families and could not afford college study. We pay them well so they can feed their family, and when they have kids, they can afford a good education for their kids. We use LED lamps for lighting and put the office at the front so that it has access to sunlight, and we do not need electricity in the daytime. We harvest the wastewater from production, re-filter it, and reuse it. Later, we will install a 50-kilowatt solar panel as a secondary energy source and strive to improve energy efficiency and minimize energy loss at the production facility and office.

VIDEO: Please share the link to a 1-minute YouTube video that answers the following “I identify as a Green Changemaker because...”. Ensure that your video does not exceed 60 seconds

https://youtu.be/4I_73KZMGaw

Impact Model: While reviewing applications, we identified a need to better understand the impact models for the innovations that applied. How would you describe the activities you engage in and what outcomes and long-term impact do they lead to?

Our main activities and outcomes are:

1. Through the cooperative, we empower seaweed farmers to farm seaweed using plastic-free practices for farming and shipping the seaweed. Outcome: We obtain consistent and high-quality seaweed sustainably and ascertain our product quality and on-time delivery. Output: seaweed farmers’ monthly income improved from USD 100–300 to USD 300 regularly.
2. We manufacture Biopac® packaging using sustainable practices without involving hazardous chemicals for polymer extraction and recovery. We apply for product certification. Outcome: Our products are truly sustainable and have been certified. Output: Customers and the public are able to differentiate our products from "green-washed" products.
3. We provide education to raise people's awareness. Outcome: the public knows the adverse effects of plastic pollution and its solution. Output: Biopac® is on top of minds of the public as the solution for single-use plastic waste pollution.
4. We build marketing partners and distributors for Biopac® worldwide. Outcome: We can save on shipping costs very efficiently and decrease our selling price; for example, the unit selling price in Japan decreases from USD 33 to USD 9.18 per kg. Output: We ensure our business's sustainability.
5. We apply for grants for launching new products and are open to investment for multiplying our production lines. Outcome: We obtain funding support and accelerators to speed up Biopac® scale-up and market penetration worldwide. Output: We ensure our business's sustainability.
6. Research, innovation, and scaling up from laboratory to pilot and pilot to commercial outcome: We added other Biopac® products to our product gallery so that we can replace various single-use plastics.

Audience: Who are you most directly impacting through your work? Who is the target beneficiary? Please specify if the population you are reaching is underserved due to any of the following characteristics?

If you chose the "Other" option, please specify

 

How are you activating green changemakers?

If you chose the "Other" option, please specify

 

Organization Type: Which organization type best describes how your work or initiative has been organized or registered?

For-Profit

Tell us briefly about how you have and/ or would like to engage partners or other changemakers to enhance your approach:

We create a virtual community where all sustainable material producers meet each other and introduce themselves to their customers if they need other sustainable materials produced by the community members. We welcome all changemakers to expand to other products and other regions. We find alignment and synergy with at least 44 semifinalists. We want to buy the solar panel from ID02089 and evaluate the service from ID02360 to see if it fits our seaweed farmers. We could provide our products for the packaging of various products, such as fashion (ID02503 and ID03247), coffee (ID03235), football jerseys and merchandise (ID03266, ID02092), dog food (ID03196), skin care (ID02407), agriculture products (ID02453), and ecotourism (ID03209). We could provide seaweed drawing paper and water color to ID03219 and ID03158. By doing so, we support them in strengthening their mission and promoting a sustainable lifestyle at the highest level.

We could also collaborate with some projects that focus on youth to encourage sustainable lifestyles, climate action, and managing our products' end of life that still have value as biostimulants and to nourish the soil. We could do event activation to raise public awareness about plastic waste pollution, introduce our solution to some other semifinalists, and share an effective way for community empowerment.

Annual budget: Hint: What is the cost for your current operations every year (or most recent year)? This is expenditure for your project or organization. The reference currency is the U.S. dollar.

$100k - $250k

Winning Impact Potential: How would winning the Green Changemakers Challenge impact and leverage your work?

Winning the Green Changemakers Challenge provides a spotlight for us to be seen by Askhoka partners and fellows, environmentalists, media, customers, investors, and any sustainable-conscious stakeholders. As the first five years are the critical time for companies, including Biopac, to grow, getting mentors from sustainable and impact-oriented institutions like Ashoka and HSBC that have succeeded in passing many challenges throughout the time is very beneficial, not only to survive but to rocket.

We will use the grant to build our marketing partners in countries where single-use plastic demand is high, but we still have no local marketing partners. From the 31 countries of all the semifinalists here, we will build marketing partnerships with 19 countries to expand our environmental impact. By spreading our product globally, we could decrease the amount of plastic waste and its disintegrated particles, namely nanoplastic and microplastic. By replacing single-use plastic and paper packaging, we also contribute to decreasing CO2 emissions during conventional plastic production and waste management, deforestation, and the climate crisis. By using seaweed as our raw material, we also create environmental impact by absorbing CO2 during seaweed growth and social impact for seaweed farmer families.

Skills Matching: If you win, you may have the opportunity to be matched with HSBC employees for skill-based mentorship. If matched, which of the following skills would you be most interested in receiving?

Accounting & Finance