Dezeen Sustainability Award 2022 - Longlist

SeaCo Designs has created a biopolymer using readily available and easily accessible materials.

The project addresses the issue of single-use plastics as one of the biggest climate change challenges being faced today.

The result is a biomaterial created from fast-growing seaweed sustainably harvested from local beaches during the plant's growth period, which can be produced within one week or harvesting and composted after use with household waste.

The biomaterial can be easily dyed with homemade natural dyes, and is also capable of being impregnated with photographic emulsion for darkroom exposure to produce a more sustainable black and white photographic image.

The biomaterial has been used to produce compostable monoclonal antibody tests, in an attempt to begin reducing the volume of single-use plastic build-up associated with medical appliances.