Plastic pollution remains a major challenge for consumer brands, but many sustainable materials struggle to compete with traditional plastics on price and scale. That cost barrier has slowed the shift toward more environmentally friendly packaging.
London-based biomaterials startup Shellworks says it has a solution. The company has raised $15 million in Series A funding to scale production of its plastic alternative: Vivomer, and expand into the United States and Europe.
The round was led by Alter Equity, a Paris-based impact investment fund. Other investors include Nat Friedman through NFDG, JamJar Investments, and existing backers such as Founder Collective, LocalGlobe, and Third Sphere.
The UK company plans to use the new funding to expand its global manufacturing network, including new production capacity in the United States and Europe.
The company is focusing on technologies such as blow moulding to support large-scale packaging production while reducing transportation emissions and strengthening supply chains.
Félix Mounier from alter equity said: “Shellworks represents exactly the kind of innovation we need to see in the materials economy. They’re not just creating a better material, they’re building the infrastructure to make it accessible at scale. That’s what will drive real change and contribute to the plastic-free economy we are supporting at alter equity.”
A biodegradable alternative to plastic
Founded in 2019, Shellworks develops materials designed to replace traditional plastics while maintaining similar performance and cost levels.
Its technology can help major brands transition to sustainable packaging without sacrificing price or product functionality, a challenge that has historically been one of the biggest for alternative materials.
It has spent six years developing Vivomer, a bio-based material created using microbes that ferment second-generation feedstocks such as used cooking oil. The resulting material works like plastic during use but fully biodegrades after disposal, offering brands a potential alternative to petroleum-based packaging.
The company says it has now reached cost competitiveness with traditional materials such as aluminium and glass, even while producing only about 5 million units so far. This milestone addresses one of the biggest barriers preventing companies from switching to sustainable packaging.
Shellworks CEO and co-founder Insiya Jafferjee said: “For too long, the conversation around sustainable materials has been dominated by the perception that they’re too expensive for mass adoption. We’re proving that’s no longer true. At just a fraction of plastic’s scale, we’re already cost-competitive with alternatives like glass and aluminium. As we scale further, we’ll only get more competitive.”
Partnerships with brands
The material is already being used by consumer brands, including Wild personal care brand, which is part of the Unilever portfolio, and Sonsie Skin, the skincare brand founded by Pamela Anderson.
Products using Vivomer packaging are currently sold in stores such as Tesco through Wild’s product line. Packaging using the material has also launched at Whole Foods Market through the brand Phil’s.
Freddy Ward, co-founder and CEO of Wild, said: “Vivomer is at the forefront of sustainable material innovation and has helped Wild deliver on our mission. Their desire to drive change and solve problems has been amazing to watch, and their passion for a better packaging future is infectious.”
