Above: Julia and Jordy Kay, founders of Great Wrap in Melbourne
Melbourne-based Great Wrap aims to produce 5000 tonnes of certified compostable machine pallet wrap in 2024 for distribution through its partnership with Opal.
Great Wrap, a B Corp Certified material science company, has partnered with Opal, one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading cardboard packaging and recycling companies, to exclusively offer the only Australian-made Compostable Machine Pallet Wrap for businesses of all sizes in Australia and New Zealand. This will enable them to divert traditional pallet wrap away from landfills.
Great Wrap’s Certified Compostable Machine Pallet Wrap, certified by the Australasian Bioplastics Association, is made with compostable biopolymers and plant-based oils. It is a packaging solution for businesses that secures pallet loads while minimising supply chain waste. Given that Australia generates 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, there is an urgent need to adopt compostable materials.
Opal Packaging Plus, appointed as the exclusive distributor of the Certified Compostable Machine Pallet Wrap, is a business unit of Opal. Great Wrap will add to Opal Packaging Plus’s product range by more than 15,000; it is the first compostable stretch wrap it offers.
Jordy Kay, co-founder of Great Wrap says, “Our machine pallet wrap stands out because it’s fully compostable, capable of a 250 per cent pre-stretch, operates smoothly on high-speed lines, and maintains high tension for ultimate reliability. Our wrap is denser and stronger than traditional wrap, meaning our customers can reduce their wrap thickness to achieve the same results as they would with traditional wrap.”
Chris Daly, executive general manager of packaging at Opal, says, “Through our commitment to our Vision, Opal shapes the future through sustainable packaging; we have the advantage of being able to offer our customers integrated and innovative products. We’re excited to include Great Wrap’s Certified Compostable Machine Pallet Wrap within Opal Packaging Plus’ extensive range of products.”
The Australian Government has set clear national packaging targets, including 100 per cent reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by 2025 and 70 per cent recycled or compostable plastic packaging by 2025.
Julia Kay, co-founder of Great Wrap says, “Globally, people have been trying to recycle plastic packaging for 50 years, but only 9 per cent of our recycled materials go through the recycling system, showing us the infrastructure isn’t perfect, and emphasising the need to diversify and explore more end-of-life options, such as commercial composting, so we aren’t reliant on one waste stream.”
While currently targeting the Australian business landscape, Great Wrap is also working to build a biorefinery that will produce a marine-degradable material called PHA to continue changing the packaging landscape. Later this year, Great Wrap is also planning to supply its Compostable Hand Pallet Wrap for exclusive distribution through Opal Packaging Plus.
Co-founder and co-CEO Julia Kay, spoke exclusively to ProPack about capital raising, the importance of reaching APCO targets and why they partnered with Opal.
Why is the current capital-raising landscape important for your business?
The current capital-raising landscape is promising, particularly in the climate space. Climate tech is growing, but many startups in their early phases are competing for capital. There are a lot of startups trying to cross the valley of death and capital is flowing slower than it was 2 or 3 years ago. We’re very happy to have aligned with both current and new investors who support our growth and are excited to help us grow as a business.
Why are working with APCO targets important?
There are so many reasons. One reason is that globally, people have been trying to recycle plastic packaging for more than 50 years, but only 9% of the recycled materials actually go through the recycling stream. This shows that the infrastructure isn’t where it needs to be. It’s time to start diversifying end-of-life options in Australia so we aren’t completely reliant on recycling, a stream that currently has its flaws and isn’t perfect. To achieve this, we need buy-in from brands who are committed to cleaning up their supply chain waste and commitments from the government to support and fund growth at commercial compost facilities in Australia.
Tell us about your partnership with Opal.
We are proud to partner exclusively with Opal because they’re trusted by their customers, and their team has shown a real commitment to our brand and ethos since the day we started talking to them two years ago. They have been patient while we got on our feet and finally launched our Compostable Machine Pallet Wrap. We’re excited that we can now expand our reach to every corner of Australia, making it easier for our customers and future customers to try and transition to Great Wrap in their supply chain.
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