EcoShield: Bacterial Cellulose for a sustainable future

Overview

CUHK has developed novel biodegradable bacterial cellulose films, “EcoShield”, fabricated through the natural rapid growth of non-pathogenic bacteria. These materials are designed to serve as sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging and other synthetic materials. The technology has been commercialised through BactOPack Limited, a CUHK spin-out company founded in 2024.

  • EcoShield: Bacterial Cellulose for a sustainable future 0
  • EcoShield: Bacterial Cellulose for a sustainable future 1
  • EcoShield: Bacterial Cellulose for a sustainable future 2
Commercialisation opportunities
Product/exclusive licensing
Problem addressed

Despite the emergence of various eco-friendly packaging materials, many existing alternatives lack the necessary resistance to oil, water and heat, or not naturally biodegradable. This leaves consumers with limited options that often compromise on quality.

Innovation
  • Eco-friendly production: The preparation of EcoShield primarily utilizes food residue such as tea leaves, and non-pathogenic bacteria with sugar. The film fully biodegrades in soil naturally within five months.
  • Highly performing material: EcoShield exhibits exceptional mechanical strength and barrier properties against water, oil and heat. It is transparent, moldable and dyable, allowing it to mimic other man-made synthetic materials
  • Vegan leather: EcoShield offers a sustainable, low greenhouse gas emission, and animal-free alternative to traditional leather.
Key impact
  • Transform waste into eco-friendly packaging and various synthetic materials alternatives
  • The use of EcoShield eliminates the toxic and complex manufacturing processes of traditional plastic packaging
  • Provide sustainable, highly performing alternatives adaptable to consumer and industrial needs
  • Reduce plastic wastes, carbon emissions, and pollution
Award
  • 2025 Gold Medal - 15th International Invention Fair in the Middle East
  • 2024 Gold Medal - 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong (AEII)
  • 2024 Silver Medal - 49th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva
  • 2024 Excellent award - IPIC Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Competition
Application
  • Sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging and synthetic materials
  • Food packaging materials
  • Vegan leathers

Patent

  • Bacterial cellulose for food packaging, US20240308752A1, publication date 19 September 2024
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a forward-looking comprehensive research university with a global vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all around the world. Four Nobel laureates are associated with the university, and it is the only tertiary institution in Hong Kong with recipients of the Nobel Prize, Turing Award, Fields Medal and Veblen Prize sitting as faculty in residence. CUHK graduates are connected worldwide through an extensive alumni network. CUHK undertakes a wide range of research programmes in many subject areas, and strives to provide scope for all academic staff to undertake consultancy and collaborative projects with industry. 

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