Finnish startup Elea & Lili raises 2.5M to replace the plastic

"Polyacrylate is the synthetic crystal at the heart of every modern disposable nappy, is derived from petroleum, and it does not break down. It persists for centuries, leaching microplastics into soil and groundwater as it degrades. The hygiene industry has long regarded it as an engineering necessity: nothing else absorbs as fast, as much, or as reliably."

"Elea & Lili, a deep-tech spinout from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, disagrees. The company has developed a Cellulose Super Absorbent, it calls it CSA, that it says matches the performance of fossil-based polymers while being fully biodegradable and microplastic-free."

"The company says CSA is compatible with existing diaper production lines, a critical claim, since any material that requires manufacturers to retool their factories faces a much steeper commercial path. It also says absorption performance is comparable to conventional synthetic polymers in laboratory conditions."

Polyacrylate, a petroleum-derived synthetic polymer used in disposable diapers, persists for centuries and leaches microplastics into soil and groundwater. Elea & Lili, a spinout from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has developed Cellulose Super Absorbent (CSA) as a biodegradable, microplastic-free alternative that matches conventional polymer performance. The company secured a €2.5 million seed round led by Lifeline Ventures to transition from laboratory to production. CSA targets the superabsorbent polymer market, which is dominated by baby diapers and agricultural water retention applications worth tens of billions annually. The material is made from cellulose, an abundant organic compound found in plant cell walls, and is compatible with existing diaper production lines, eliminating costly retooling requirements.

Read at TNW | Startups-Technology