We have a plastic problem. Every year, 8 million tonnes of it are dumped in the oceans. It’s clear that current packaging habits simply can’t continue. We need to change the world’s behaviours when it comes to single-use plastic.

Enter Notpla: a revolutionary, seaweed-based material that naturally decomposes in weeks (700 years for plastic). A sustainable packaging start-up on a mission to make packaging as we know it disappear, naturally.

Notpla can be used directly to replace plastic cups at sporting festivals, as sachets for condiments, and as a coating for cardboard to create a wide range of products.

We created a name and identity that would leave people in no doubt about its potential value in the world. The new name, Notpla (an abbreviation of ‘Not Plastic’) would work as a material name that signifies fully natural packaging, and a brand at the forefront of environmental sustainability.

Consumers today have become not just aware, but emotionally connected with the issue of plastic pollution. Therefore, the realisation for companies is the need to raise their game in terms of sustainability of their branded packages.

Notpla is designed to be a simple, bold definition of who they are. Not plastic. But a completely new thing. Notpla is not only the brand name but also the name of its revolutionary material.

The new identity is centred around the brand’s core mission: Making packaging disappear.

It’s not exactly common practice to define a brand by what it isn’t. But when what it isn’t is one of the world’s biggest problems – plastics – then, that’s OK. (Particularly when what it is, is seaweed).

Unlike many other packaging companies that use bioplastics, which behave like, and are technically still plastics, the start-up has fully moved away from using synthetic materials altogether.

So, the beauty, and therefore what makes Notpla different, is what it isn’t. Not plastic. But a completely new thing. A brand that doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not.

The animated and interactive logo reflects a vessel that can be filled with water, juices, cocktails or sauces, and when it is emptied, the exterior disappears, just like its packaging.

We then activated the brand through an updated design of Notpla’s website. The tone of voice is simple, pared back, direct and bold. Notpla is built on the idea that its products will change the world. With such a bold and brave intention at the core of the brand, the only way to communicate this is in a simple and clear way, without being shy and overcomplicated.

Notpla has produced 400,000 sachets so far. In 2019, the brand was trialled at major international events such as the London Marathon and London Cocktail Week. More than 36,000 capsules were consumed at the running event, reducing carbon emissions by 80% per unit compared with a plastic cup.

Notpla also partnered with Just Eat and Unilever to provide more sustainable food packaging solutions across the takeaway sector. As a result, more than 46,000 plastic ketchup sachets were prevented from entering landfill, and 92% of customers asked to see more of the eco-friendly sachets in their next delivery.

As the number of people eating out continues to grow, so too does the diner demand for packaging with lower environmental impacts. Whilst creating an exciting experience for customers, Notpla makes a big contribution toward cutting down on single-use plastic, giving consumer brands a significant advantage for the future.