Introduces first made-to-scale, naturally biodegradable super absorbent polymer (bioSAP) without harmful microplastics
Today marks the launch of Planet Smart, a company dedicated to tackling the world’s growing plastics crisis with innovative, microplastic-free materials for everyday hygiene products. Planet Smart is the first to introduce a scalable, patent-pending biodegradable super absorbent polymer (bioSAP) for disposable hygiene products, called PlanetSorb. Planet Smart’s bioSAP biodegrades naturally in months, even in landfills, leaving no harmful residues or microplastics behind. This new category of bioSAP will help brands meet new global environmental regulations and rising consumer demand for more eco-friendly, disposable hygiene products, such as diapers and menstrual pads.
Due to their many plastic-based components, disposable diapers are among the largest plastic polluters globally, contributing to nearly 40 million tons of waste per year. A single diaper can take hundreds of years to decompose, contributing to one of the fastest-growing and most pervasive environmental threats: microplastics.
“Growing up in the Philippines, a country that is the third highest contributor to plastic pollution in the world, sparked my passion to find a piece of the solution to our world’s plastic crisis,” said Gerald Perry Marin, PhD, co-founder and CEO of Planet Smart. “When I learned how much waste comes from disposable hygiene products alone, I saw an opportunity to go directly to the biggest source of a problem – the nonbiodegradable, fossil-based SAP that can break down into microplastics. The disposable hygiene products industry needs an environmentally friendly SAP that doesn’t sacrifice performance, and at Planet Smart, we’re filling that void to reduce one of the largest offenders of plastic pollution globally.”
Reliable Performance Without Environmental Tradeoffs
PlanetSorb is a bioSAP with reliable performance, particularly in its liquid absorbency, compared to commercially available SAPs in hygiene products today.
“While the biggest players in the hygiene industry offer customers convenience, the issue of tradeoffs between performance and the environment are still very present,” said Alan S. Goldstein, Founder and CEO Tenx-Innovation and former Director of P&G Ventures. “Even while sustainability is increasingly important for governments and consumers around the world, not one of these major players has significantly moved the needle to meet this need. The founders of Planet Smart are approaching this problem holistically, offering a product that is ready to scale and delivers no trade-offs between the environment and performance, which consumers demand.”
Engineered for Scalability and Rapid Production
Planet Smart uses existing manufacturing equipment and raw materials to create PlanetSorb, eliminating the need to break ground on new facilities and ensuring production can start right away. This approach accelerates the production of eco-friendly disposable hygiene products, helping manufacturers meet the growing demand from brands and their customers.
“We invested in Planet Smart because they’re building a company the smart way: no steel in the ground, highly capital-efficient, and laser-focused on delivering a product the market wants and the planet needs,” said Sara Jones, Senior Director, Engineered Biology, General Inception VC. “Their approach utilizes deep tech with scalable impact, which aligns perfectly with our vision at General Inception.”
Driven by a mission to eliminate plastic waste, Planet Smart is poised to lead the industry toward a greener future and has already attracted commercial partners.
For more information about Planet Smart, visit planetsmart.co.
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