Shellworks debuts at-home compostable pipette dropper made from waste biomass

Shellworks, a UK-based packaging developer, has launched an at-home compostable pipette dropper for personal care products like serums and oils.

Pipette droppers are usually made from glass, rubber, and plastic materials. According to Shellworks, they can be hard to recycle due to their small size, which can slip through recycling equipment and end up in landfills or incineration facilities.

Amir Afshar, co-founder and chief product officer at Shellworks, says: “We designed this dropper to feel as good as it looks and to disappear responsibly when it’s no longer needed. This represents a fundamental shift from sustainability as an add-on to sustainability as the foundation of product design.”

The product was developed with £4.6 million (US$6.3 million) in seed funding raised in 2022.

Pipette perfection

The dropper utilizes Shellworks’ plastic-free material Vivomer, which is made from waste biomass and transformed into a plastic-like material through fermentation. It is petroleum-free, stable in use, and free from toxic additives, according to Shellworks. 

Dr. Jay Gaston, materials lead at Shellworks, says: “This dropper proves that even the smallest, most technical packaging challenges can be solved with the right material platform.”

The solution is used for products from brands like Abel, Eclo, and Sam McKnight. Shellworks plans to supply ten brands across the UK, EU, and US. Moreover, the packaging company produces 2.4 million dropper units annually and is “poised to scale” the pipette dropper across the personal care industry.

Shellworks already delivers other biodegradable packaging solutions to brands, including Wild, which sells in Boots and Tesco. According to the company, its compostable solution has replaced over 90 metric tons of conventional plastic. 

Recently, Single Use Plastic Alternative Innovations announced a pine tree sap-based paper bottle coating to provide a waterproof lining for its latest hand wash range, which also features a reusable matte black metal soap hand pump.