Notpla brings sustainable seaweed-based food packaging back to Imperial College London

Credit: Notpla

Notpla is bringing its sustainable seaweed-based food packaging back to Imperial College London, as the university rolls out the company’s home-compostable materials across its campus food and drink outlets.

The move forms part of Imperial’s Sustainable Imperial strategy, which aims to reduce single-use plastic, deliver evidence-based solutions to climate change and demonstrate leadership in sustainability across its campuses.

Over the next year, the partnership will replace more than 450,000 units of single-use plastic-containing packaging, save 1,185kg of plastic – more than the weight of a Fiat 500 – and cut 13,300kg of carbon emissions, equivalent to ten return flights from London to New York.

The seaweed-based packaging features a 100% plastic-free and PFAS-free coating, addressing growing concern around microplastics and harmful chemicals that can leach into hot food from conventional plastic-lined takeaway packaging.

From student project to campus-wide rollout

For Notpla, the partnership represents a full-circle moment. Imperial graduates Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez founded the company after developing their first product concept, the edible liquid bubble Ooho, while studying on the university’s Innovation Design Engineering master’s degree.

Now a global leader in sustainable material innovation, Notpla’s packaging is being used by the same institution that helped shape the business, serving students and staff on campus.

Founded in 2014, Notpla has scaled rapidly through major collaborations and investment. In 2024, the company secured £20m in a Series A+ funding round, with ambitions to replace more than 100 million single-use plastics annually within two years and expand further into the US. Last summer, Allianz Stadium in London became the first UK venue to introduce Notpla’s compostable, plastic-free seaweed-based drinks carrier.

Pierre Paslier, co-founder and co-CEO of Notpla, said:

To see our packaging now being used at Imperial, where the journey began for us, is incredibly meaningful. It shows how universities can lead by example – supporting innovation, closing the loop, and educating the next generation at the same time.”

Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, added:

Notpla represents the power of science and enterprise to provide solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems – in this case by helping businesses to replace millions of pieces of single-use plastic. It’s a proud moment to see Notpla go full circle from students with big ideas, to entrepreneurs scaling their business in our ecosystem, to being suppliers in our own sustainability efforts on campus. We are delighted that Rodrigo and Pierre are still part of the Imperial community.”