Shellworks, a UK-based sustainable packaging developer, has reportedly introduced the “world’s first” fully home-compostable pipette dropper, an advancement in eco-friendly packaging for the beauty and wellness sectors.
This innovation addresses the sustainability challenge posed by traditional pipette droppers, which are often made from a combination of glass, rubber, and plastic, and are difficult to recycle.
The new biodegradable alternative developed by Shellworks is designed to mimic the properties of glass, ceramic, plastic, and rubber, allowing it to decompose as a single unit when disposed of in a home composting environment, claimed the company.
The breakthrough is made possible by their proprietary material Vivomer, a plastic-free substance derived from waste biomass through fermentation.
The company can produce 2.4 million units of its dropper solution annually, with plans for further expansion.
Shellworks has secured £4.6m ($6.1m) in seed funding in 2022 to support the development of this innovation.
The company has already established partnerships with several brands, such as Abel, French beauty company Eclo, People. Planet (formerly known as Haeckels), and hair care brand Sam McKnight, using its packaging solutions.
Shellworks co-founder & chief product officer Amir Afshar said: “Brands no longer have to choose between sustainability and shelf appeal. We designed this dropper to feel as good as it looks, and to disappear responsibly when it’s no longer needed. This represents a fundamental shift from sustainability as an add-on to sustainability as the foundation of product design.”
Shellworks has also made significant environmental contributions by replacing more than 90 tonnes of conventional plastic with its compostable alternatives.
With a team of 24 innovators and more than 1.8 million packaging solutions shipped globally, Shellworks is engaging with ten brands across the UK, EU, and US to expand the reach of their home-compostable pipette dropper.
Shellworks materials lead Jay Gaston said: “We engineered Vivomer to be a truly industrial material- it’s precise, resilient, and beautiful when moulded. This dropper proves that even the smallest, most technical packaging challenges can be solved with the right material platform.”
