Stora Enso and startup Sulapac have joined forces to develop renewable and biodegradable straws

STORA ENSO OYJ PRESS RELEASE 4 December 2018 at 9.00 EET 

Stora Enso and Sulapac continue to combat the global problem of plastic waste by launching a demo for sustainable drinking straws at Slush 2018, a leading startup event that gathers 20 000 tech enthusiasts from around the world. The demo, which targets production on an industrial scale, is designed to replace traditional plastic straws with renewable ones. The straws are based on Sulapac’s biocomposite material – made of wood and natural binders – designed to be recycled via industrial composting and biodegrade in marine environments.       

“This is an important step for Stora Enso and showcases our long-term commitment to gradually replacing fossil-based materials with renewable solutions. Our collaboration with Sulapac is a great example of what we can achieve through partnership in terms of driving innovation to create sustainable solutions within the bioeconomy”, says Annica Bresky, EVP, Consumer Board division.

Stora Enso signed a joint development agreement with Sulapac in May 2018 to license its materials and technology. The development of the demo straw is a joint collaboration between Stora Enso and Sulapac – a cooperation which complements Stora Enso’s extensive biocomposite portfolio.

“Eco-awareness is a strong driver for consumer demand, and our customers want help in replacing non-renewable materials. Different biocomposite solutions, such as renewable caps and closures and straws will be add-ons and a complement to our own consumer board portfolio, bringing additional value to our customers”, says Hannu Kasurinen, SVP Head of Liquid Packaging and Carton Board.

Sulapac’s material works in existing extrusion lines and the target is to have the straws commercially available in the second quarter of 2019.

“Today, we proudly announce that we are launching a demo for a recyclable, microplastic-free and marine biodegradable straw. This is the world’s most sustainable straw that can be produced on an industrial scale and we have jointly developed it with Stora Enso. Billions of plastic straws are produced and used every week. This straw has the potential to be a true game changer”, says Sulapac’s founder and CEO Suvi Haimi.

For further information, please contact:
Antti Valtonen, Head of Marketing and Communications, Sulapac, tel. +358 40 729 4793
Carl Norell, SVP Media Relations, Stora Enso, tel. +46 722 410 349

About Stora Enso
Part of the bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper globally. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has some 26 000 employees in over 30 countries. Our sales in 2017 were EUR 10 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY). storaenso.com 

About Sulapac
Sulapac is a fully biodegradable and microplastic free material made of renewable and sustainable raw materials. Sulapac products are designed for brands that want to eliminate plastic waste and demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability through the use of premium ecological material. The company was founded in 2016 by Suvi Haimi and Laura Kyllönen and is based in Helsinki, Finland. sulapac.com

For further information, please contact:
Antti Valtonen
Head of Marketing and Communications, Sulapac
tel. +358 40 729 4793

Carl Norell
SVP Media Relations, Stora Enso
tel. +46 722 410 349