Imperial is working with Notpla as part of the Sustainable Imperial strategy, set
up to deliver evidence-based solutions to climate change, embrace new technologies, challenge conventional thinking and lead by example on Imperial’s campuses.
The news sees Notpla’s seaweed-based, home-compostable foodservice packaging now in
use at Imperial’s campus food & drink outlets, marking a full-circle moment for the
company. Notpla’s origin traces back to Imperial’s Innovation Design Engineering
master’s degree, where co-founders Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez developed their first product concept – the edible liquid bubble called Ooho – and began their journey to redefine packaging with sustainable materials.
Today, Notpla is a global leader in sustainable material innovation, and its solutions are back
on campus, serving the next generation of students and the very staff who helped shape the
company’s beginnings.This partnership is a natural fit for Imperial, known for its commitment to environmental
Sustainability. The university is embracing Notpla’s innovative packaging solutions as part of its broader Sustainable Imperial initiative.
“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,” said Pierre Paslier, co-founder of Notpla.
Imperial’s president, Professor Hugh Brady, said: “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.”
It also helps address a growing concern on university campuses: the presence of microplastics and chemicals such as PFAS that can leach from conventional plastic-lined takeaway packaging into hot food.
Notpla’s packaging is:
- Made from renewable seaweed extracts
- Home-compostable, breaking down like a piece of fruit peel
- Compliant with the strictest UK & EU packaging regulations
- And offers a 100% plastic-free and PFAS-free coating.
The partnership is set to have a major impact over the course of the next year:
- Replacing more than 450,000 units of single-use plastic containing packaging
- Saving 1185kg of plastic (more than the weight of a Fiat 500)
- Cutting 13,300kg of carbon emissions.