The material holds bacteriostatic and ‘skin-friendly’ qualities, and is also versatile in its ability to be manipulated into flexible and rigid forms. This makes chitin based bioplastics an ideal candidate for cosmetic and food packaging applications.
Italian medical and cosmetics company MAVI have explored the use of biodegradable films which demonstrated the financial viability and practicality of chitin based plastics. In this instance, research has shown the material to be commercially profitable, and while the development of this process is still in its infancy, it provides hope for a commercially viable and sustainable alternative to current plastics.
Chitin based plastic has been implemented by other small / medium enterprises (SME’s). Examples of which include: coffee capsules by the company, AROMA and packaging manufacturer RODAX. SME’s will be crucial in expanding the emerging market for environmentally friendly design. Currently, this manufacturing process is not widely accessible but companies such as these, that are willing to invest in sustainable innovations will pave the way for other businesses. By popularising ‘greener’ practices, they will inevitably become more available, which will be necessary for industrial design of the future.