Waste without trace: Wild and Morrama unveil compostable body wash bottle made from excess potato chips

10 Aug 2023 --- Deodorant brand Wild and London-based design and innovation firm Morrama have created a plastic-free and compostable refillable shower gel bottle made from supermarket junk food waste. Once the refill is empty, it can be put in a compost pile or general waste, where it will biodegrade “faster than a banana peel,” which is two years on average.

The refill bottle “leaves no trace,” breaking down completely, even in landfill conditions, in less than two years.

The Wild refills are made from 70% bamboo starch, a fast-growing plant known for its natural waterproof properties. The remaining 30% is plant starch from agricultural waste and is used to enhance the refills’ structural integrity. 

When being used, the bottle is placed inside a lightweight aluminum exterior vessel to protect it from water and humidity. This container is reusable and serves to hold any following Wild refills that are purchased.

Morrama designs refillable bottles from plant starch waste from supermarket chips.The pump is made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastic. 

“We designed the Wild shower gel case with consideration for every detail, from ease of user experience to its recyclability and sustainable credentials. It has been designed as a truly premium product experience but at an affordable price,” says Jo Barnard, founder of Morrama.

Upcycling junk food
The companies spent almost three years exploring material options. The plant starch used comes from plant starch waste from supermarket chips. 

The bamboo and plant starch blend goes through a carbon-efficient heating and molding process, transforming the plants into a sturdy refill.

“We have been working with Morrama for the past few years and couldn’t have asked for a better design partner. The team truly understands our values and purpose and pushes our boundaries of what we thought was possible in the first place,” explains Freddy Ward, co-founder of Wild.

“Building on our initial success from Wild deodorant, we are incredibly proud to be launching Wild shower gel on the market and making people’s bathrooms a little bit more sustainable with every refill.”

Wild aims to close the gap between the convenience of plastic throwaway products and environmentally sustainable products. “There are some eco-friendly options out there, but they’re a faff and not as sustainable as they may seem – most of them contain plastic,” writes the company. 

The bottle’s body will be available in aqua and pink case – the scent options of Fresh Cotton & Sea Salt, Coconut & Vanilla and Jasmine & Mandarin blossom. The formula is natural and vegan.Wild’s new refillable body wash goes inside an aluminum container to be reused.

Calling time on single-use packaging
Wild, popularized by its refillable deodorant, aims to rid the bathroom of single-use plastic. The body wash case is similar to the deodorant case – made from aluminum and made to be kept for life. 

British adults throw away 312 plastic bottles yearly, but only half recycle bathroom packaging. According to Morrama, limited plastic-free options are available on the cosmetic market – especially for liquids.

Wild reports the average person uses 19,665 plastic cosmetics bottles in their lifetime, while 9% of plastic is successfully recycled.

Morrama says transporting liquids without plastic or high-energy aluminum is “a major challenge.” The design company names compostable pouches as a potential solution, however, it calls out their lack of durability and requirement for being poured into a refillable vessel as issues.

By Sabine Waldeck