UK’s Shellworks secures US$15M Series A to scale plastic-free packaging from waste and microbes

UK – British sustainable packaging firm Shellworks has raised US$15 million in a Series A funding round to expand production and market reach for its plastic-free material, Vivomer, which is produced via microbial fermentation of waste feedstocks.

The investment round was led by Paris-based impact fund Alter Equity, with participation from Nat Friedman, JamJar, and existing investors including Founder Collective, Local Globe, and Third Sphere.

The funding will help Shellworks acquire additional brand partners, scale production, and expand into the European and US markets.

“Vivomer demonstrates that sustainable materials can be cost-competitive and scalable,” said Insiya Jafferjee, Shellworks co-founder and CEO.

“This investment enables us to bring plastic-free solutions to more brands and consumers, at prices that make sense for mass adoption.”

Vivomer is created by fermenting second-generation feedstocks, such as used cooking oil, into a biodegradable polymer suitable for home composting.

The material is free from fossil-based plastics, BPA, and PFAS, and decomposes fully into water and CO₂, without leaving microplastics.

The polymer can be tailored to be rigid or flexible, matte or glossy, allowing its use in a variety of packaging formats including jars, bottles, screw caps, and pipettes.

Current brand adopters include Wild, Haeckels, Abel, Eclo, and Pamela Anderson’s beauty label Sonsie Skin. Products using Vivomer are now available in retailers such as Tesco, Target, and Whole Foods.

Félix Mounier, associate at Alter Equity, praised the innovation: “Shellworks is not just developing a better material; they’re building the infrastructure to make it accessible at scale. This is exactly the type of impact we need to accelerate a plastic-free economy.”

Despite producing around five million units annually, Shellworks reports that Vivomer is already cost-competitive with aluminium, glass, and paper packaging.

This addresses a key barrier for consumers: 64% of Europeans are willing to purchase sustainable products only if they cost the same or less than conventional alternatives.

The funding will also support development of advanced production techniques such as blow moulding, enabling Shellworks to tackle harder-to-produce formats and reach mainstream retail markets.

The move comes amid broader momentum in the sustainable packaging sector, even as some peers, such as Australia’s Great Wrap, have faced financial challenges.

Global plastic waste continues to grow, with only 9% recycled, underscoring the ongoing need for viable low-impact alternatives like Vivomer.

Shellworks’ strategy positions it as a leading player in the emerging market for plastic-free, microbial-derived packaging, combining sustainability with scale and affordability.

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