Stora Enso and Sulapac bring the sustainable straw to the market, with several customers signed up
STORA ENSO OYJ PRESS RELEASE 11 December 2019 at 9:00 EET
Stora Enso and Sulapac are launching a renewable and biodegradable straw to combat the global problem of plastic waste. The straw has strong usability and works just like a traditional straw. The new straws are available to brands and consumers looking for more eco-friendly solutions.
The first customers include Finnair’s lounges in Helsinki, replacing their plastic and paper straws, food delivery platform Wolt, the alcoholic beverage brand company Altia, Hotel St. George, and vegan café Kippo, among others. The first customers represent different business sectors but have one common interest: to be at the forefront of sustainability. For end-consumers, the straws will be available in January via Biofutura.com, an online store specialising in compostable tableware and packaging, and online retailer Verkkokauppa.com.
“There’s clearly a large demand for our product, which both fulfils the sustainability criteria and has superior usability. Like all Sulapac materials, the straw is 100% microplastic-free. It is designed to mimic nature; if the straw accidentally ends up in the ocean, it behaves like a birch leaf and does not harm the ecosystem,” says Sulapac CEO Suvi Haimi.
The straws are based on Sulapac’s patent pending material innovation. The main components are renewable materials such as wood and plant-based binders. Sulapac defines the material as microplastic-free, meaning that it is designed to be fully biodegradable in different environments. The straw complies with existing waste systems and is designed to be recycled via industrial composting.
“Billions of plastic straws are produced and used every week, creating harmful waste that often ends up in the sea. This renewable and biodegradable material can replace fossil-based materials and help combat plastic waste. Our cooperation with Sulapac allows us to explore new types of innovative and scalable materials and widen our offering of renewable solutions,“ says Marcus Dehlin, Head of Business Alliances, Stora Enso.
In the first phase, the straws will be available in Europe and a global roll-out will follow. The straws are produced with machinery originally designed to produce plastic straws.
Read more: https://www.storaenso.com/products/straw
For further information, please contact:
Carl Norell
Head of Media Relations, Stora Enso
+46 72 2 410 349
Suvi Haimi
CEO, Sulapac
+358 (0)44 029 1203
Part of the bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper. 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 2018 were EUR 10.5 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 Ltd
Sulapac® is a wood-based material innovation inspired by Nordic nature. It is a lot like plastic, yet it biodegrades fully, leaving no microplastics behind. As a premium material that is safe and circular by design, Sulapac is ideal for quality-driven brands with a genuine commitment to sustainability. Plastic product manufacturers can use Sulapac® with their existing machinery, making sustainability an easy choice. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Helsinki, Finland. Sulapac has been ranked one of the 100 hottest startups in Europe by WIRED UK, both in 2018 and 2019. Join our mission to save the world from plastic waste! sulapac.com
STORA ENSO OYJ
For further information, please contact:
Carl Norell
Head of Media Relations, Stora Enso
+46 72 2 410 349
Suvi Haimi
CEO, Sulapac
+358 (0)44 029 1203
