3D printed biobased flood barriers, big dairy helps cultured milk startups, gelatin clothing, castor oil tights, and more: The Digest’s Top 8 Innovations for the week of May 27th

#8 Vietnamese company develops plastic made from used coffee grounds

In Vietnam, AirXcoffee has developed a plastic using used coffee grounds that can be used in disposable tableware and other items currently made from plastic.

Dubbed Coffee Bio-Composite, the material is designated food safe by TUV Rheinland and has biobased content between 60% and 80%.

AirXcoffee uses coffee grounds sourced from Vietnamese coffee shops. The grounds are dried and mixed with recycled materials, starch, cellulose, wood, natural resins, waxes, and oils. The resulting coffee composite is recyclable, light, and looks like dark wood.

It is also economical. “[Being] 10% cheaper in price than oil-based plastic, coffee bio-composite is expected to help Vietnamese plastic industry to have better competitiveness in the global market. It also helps Vietnam to reduce reliance on fossil-based materials,” says AirXcoffee founder Thanh Le in a press statement. “Coffee ground is popular in Vietnam. Being the world’s second-biggest coffee exporter, Vietnam is the best place for us to produce this world’s first coffee bio-composite.”

More on the story, here.