Sustainable Solutions
Paua materials technology brings sustainability to the forefront in areas of application where function and performance are of key importance and sustainability usually comes last. Paua provides a sustainable and superior material solution to using traditional polymer materials such as PVC or PE plastics. The environmental impact of Paua is up to 200 times lower in manufacturing, processing and recycling.
When used as an alternative packaging material solution, Paua has a 2-3 lower footprint than recycled cardboard, due to its durable nature it can be reused many times, whereas cardboard has a 7 times recycle limit before reaching end of life.
One of the three lowest environmental footprints of all performance polymer materials used in consumer and industrial products. Amongst all, synthetic fibres – the only one being a by-product, Paua has a with energy use and greenhouse emissions than any other fibre polymer resin.
LCA Approach
We are driven to innovate existing products and are seeking to replace traditional materials with our Paua materials technology to improve sustainability and provide higher-performance solutions.
We are continuously researching and developing to enhance and improve our material technologies. Our team has a relentless passion for preserving our planet; they keep at the forefront of industry technology and developments in the sustainability sector to drive our mission to remove single-use and short-life products and packaging.
Paua’s material technology derives from one of the most sustainable polymer material bases. We have built our business on these three Paua sustainability pillars upon which we operate:
1.Technology and expertise developed over many years and focussed on reducing environmental footprint.
2. Applications and market segments focussed on market segments where we can most impact sustainability and performance.
3. Process and design led by an LCA approach to product design from the feasibility stage, to end-of-life.
About the material
Paua is a mono composite materials with a mechanical high strength and modulus due to:
- Density – lighter than water
- Chemically inert
- Thermal Insulation
- Energy absorption – unique combination of Paua skin technology and high energy absorption, and Paua foam impact energy dispersion
Paua materials have a broad variety of available low energy processing technologies to develop products from the materials; including moulding, thermoforming, welding, bonding and sewing.
During recycling zero waste is produced, as all the industrial waste is being put back in the production. There is also the capability for the use of up to 30% post-consumer recycled content is possible in certain components of the technology. Paua materials production results in no toxic emissions or waste, no fluorocarbons and no halogens , and there is little to no water use.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PAUA TECHNOLOGY
Reuse, Reduce, Repair, Recycle
Paua products and logistics packaging solutions can REDUCE by up to 200 times the use of disposable or short life materials e.g. Paua Pallet Wrap vs stretch wrap, Paua Lite box vs cardboard boxes.
Paua consumer products’ (protective cases) higher strength and longevity reduce the use of alternative plastic non-recyclable products with much higher overall environmental impact.
REUSE is possible for many Paua industrial products – for example a courier box can be used as a long term storage container.
Paua product design philosophy enables Maintenance and REPAIR for significantly extending the life of a product.
RECYCLING – Paua material uses a mono-polymer composite, which means that, unlike other multi-polymer solutions, it is 100% recyclable. Paua materials are very efficiently mechanically recycled with low environmental impact.
Sustainability Roadmap
For 2023 onwards increasing recycled content across all key materials, with a goal of reaching up to 90% before 2030. During our product design processes we are incorporating an approach of maintenance, repair and re-purpose before any recycle stage. Each product will be released with clear instructions for maintenance, repair, re-purpose or recycling so product use is maximised, and we extend any end of life recycle phase. Our plan is from 2030 onwards that all our factories operate on renewable or green energy, and manufacturing is brought near-shore for key customers. Industrial production waste recycling is our standard procedure, for 2023 onwards we are working towards implementing inhouse up-cycling and re-purposing of our own product prototypes into our local communities.
As for our wider commitment, we want to offset others’ impact on our planet by substituting their disposable solutions:
- We aim at replacing between 16kg and up to 150kg of other polymers with every 1.0kg of Paua industrial product we bring to the market.
- Provide our alternative and superior solution to traditional recycled cardboard packaging; that tackles the shortage of recycled cardboard, is a reusable and durable solution and has an overall lower environmental impact.
- Replace various multi-polymer non-recyclable consumer products, that have much higher environmental footprints to start with, and educate the consumer on environmental awareness.
