South Korean start-up eyes global expansion of microplastic-filtering water bottle cap

26 Mar 2021 --- South Korean start-up Real Water has developed a reusable bottle cap that filters out microplastics from water. The cap can be attached to standard water bottles with 10 mm openings, with a 7 mm variant to be completed in the next three months. 

“Since water bottle mouths are the same in universal markets, our product fits almost every bottle,” Hyeok-Jae Kwon, Real Water founder, tells PackagingInsights.

The filter cap was born after 12 months of development, which included testing 500 bottles and 31 product revisions. The filter is more than one-tenth finer than microplastics and made with mono-polypropylene to ensure its end-of-life recyclability.

The filter fits under the existing lid, making it hygienic and economical, says Real Water. Innova Market Insights revealed “Hygiene Heroics” as one of its top packaging trends for 2021. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened consumer hygiene concerns, giving rise to touch-free packaging designs and antimicrobial technologies. 

The filter is more than 1/10th finer than microplastics, filtering out all microplastics detected in bottled water. According to a 2021 Innova consumer survey, 59 percent of global consumers believe packaging’s protective function is more important since the virus outbreak.

Growing need for microplastic filters?
“At first, we felt worried about being disregarded by customers because there was no such thing as our product. On the other hand, I thought there are people who need this,” Kwon explains.

A recent study from Wageningen University and Research (WUR), the Netherlands, calculated that humans ingest about 0.0041 mg of microplastic particles a week – less than a grain of salt – and 12.3 mg in a lifetime.

For a small minority of 1 in 20 people, this can be as high as 676 mg of microplastics per week, depending on eating habits and concentrations of microplastics found in food products. 

The WUR study and the World Health Organization separately maintain it is not yet fully clear how harmful microplastic particles are to human health. However, Real Water asserts absorbed microplastics can cause damage to digestive, reproductive and nervous systems.

Global commercial interest
To test the waters, Kwon and his team raised US$60,000 through Wadiz, a Korean crowdfunding platform. “We got great feedback from [customers] after crowdfunding. We also received a rush of inquiries from other countries,” he says.

Kwon notes there were particularly high inquiries from Japanese companies, alongside interest from Russia and Taiwan. 

“Therefore, we can be confident demand for the Real Water cap filter will bring increased demand. Fortunately, we got satisfying results beyond our expectations.”

Currently, Real Water is aiming for market expansion to the US, China and Japan “where people often buy bottles of mineral water.” The start-up is planning to proceed with crowdfunding in the US and Japan this year.

By Anni Schleicher