Allie Richardson
Manager, Press & Public Affairs
James Gordon
Manager, Public Affairs & Digital Production
Innovation in bioplastics is opening new doors for manufacturers, offering opportunities to advance sustainability while improving performance. One way PLASTICS celebrates these advancements is with its annual Innovation in Bioplastics Award.
This year’s winner is ZealaFoam, which is helping lead the way with its 100% plant-based expanded particle foam, designed to deliver performance comparable to traditional expanded polystyrene (EPS).
We caught up with the ZealaFoam team to discuss the technology behind their award-winning material, the growing potential of bioplastics across industries and what comes next.
Q: The Innovation in Bioplastics Award recognizes advances in innovation, environmental impact, and market potential. What do you believe set ZealaFoam apart from other submissions and ultimately led to this recognition?
I think it’s because ZealaFoam addresses all three at once. Many plant-based materials have strong environmental credentials, but adoption often stalls because they don’t perform as well, need specialized equipment or require major investment.
ZealaFoam was designed to remove those barriers. It’s a 100% plant-based expanded particle foam, made from PLA using liquid CO₂ as the blowing agent, and it closely matches the insulation, cushioning and mechanical performance of EPS. Crucially, it has been molded using standard EPS tooling, so manufacturers can add biobased products to their portfolio without compromising any of their existing range and without significant changes to their production infrastructure. The innovation is as much in the manufacturing technology as in the material itself, and it’s protected by three patent families.
Q: What does receiving the 2026 Innovation in Bioplastics Award mean for ZealaFoam and your team?
It means a lot. ZealaFoam is the result of more than a decade of research, and creating a plant-based foam that matches EPS in both performance and manufacturability has been a tough technical challenge. To have that work recognized by the plastics industry itself is a real milestone for our team and everyone who has supported us.
It also matters commercially. As a New Zealand company taking our technology to international markets, recognition from PLASTICS gives manufacturers and partners confidence that ZealaFoam is a credible and practical option.
Q: What role do innovations like ZealaFoam play in expanding the range of viable applications for bioplastics across industries?
Foam has been one of the hardest categories for bioplastics to break into. Lightweight, insulating and protective foams are essential in packaging, cold chain logistics, horticulture and construction, and EPS has dominated because it performs well and is easy to process.
ZealaFoam opens up those markets. Testing has shown thermal conductivity comparable to EPS at equivalent densities, and similar structural performance, including higher maximum shear stress and cross-breaking strength. It has also been drop tested to AS 2582.4 and puncture tested against IATA Dangerous Goods requirements.
When a bioplastic fits into existing manufacturing systems, it can move from niche to mainstream much faster.
Q: How important is it for the future of bioplastics to prove that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand?
It’s essential. Manufacturers can’t compromise on performance. If a cold chain box doesn’t hold temperature or packaging doesn’t protect a product, the environmental benefit is lost.
For too long, choosing a sustainable material has meant accepting a trade-off. Every time a bioplastic matches the conventional material, that perception shifts and switching becomes a straightforward business decision.
ZealaFoam offers performance comparable to EPS on existing equipment and is made from plant-based feedstock. We use Ingeo™ PLA from NatureWorks, whose published data shows that producing Ingeo generates approximately 80% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than producing traditional polymers like polystyrene. Therefore, where a lower carbon footprint and GHG emissions are important, Zealafoam can offer a functional alternative. Our EcoBeans loose-fill beads, already on the market, are certified compostable in commercial composting facilities to Australian Standard AS 4736 (certificate ABAP 10317).
Q: This award was announced during PLASTICS’ Bioplastics Week, which highlights developments shaping the future of the industry. Looking ahead, where do you see the greatest opportunities for bioplastics to drive sustainability and innovation in the coming years?
We see three big opportunities. First, replacing materials under regulatory pressure, as restrictions on EPS continue to expand. Second, technologies that work with existing infrastructure, because those are the ones that can scale fastest and require the least additional capital investment. Third, building regional, resilient supply chains.
That last point is central to our model. Our proprietary feedstock is made using Ingeo™ PLA from US-based NatureWorks, and it enables ZealaFoam beads to be produced regionally and molded locally on conventional EPS equipment.
Q: What’s next for ZealaFoam?
We’re focused on commercial rollout in international markets. Our licensing model is already in place in Europe with Termokomfort, a Netherlands-based producer of building insulation systems, which uses our technology in its BioXbeads® bio-based insulation beads. The United States is our next key priority.
We’re looking to partner with EPS molders, packaging companies and brand owners who want a practical plant-based alternative they can produce using their existing equipment. We see the strongest near-term demand in cold chain and protective packaging, with growing opportunities in horticulture and construction.
We’re excited about what comes next, and we’d love to hear from manufacturers who want to be part of it.
