NPL and Xampla pioneer method to validate ‘plastic-free’ packaging claims
In a major breakthrough poised to accelerate the shift away from single-use packaging, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has partnered with materials firm Xampla to develop a pioneering, scientifically verifiable test for “plastic-free” claims.
The approach uses advanced materials science to validate that Xampla’s plant-based Morro coatings and films are not chemically modified and are therefore exempt from the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) and the EU REACH regulation definition of plastic.
Xampla’s Morro materials are the first to be identified via this spectroscopic and microscopic method as truly plastic-free, establishing a foundation that could lead to internationally recognised future standards for the industry.
Despite tightening regulations across the UK and EU to eliminate single-use plastics, there has been no universally accepted, independent method for verifying that a new material is genuinely plastic-free. This has created a challenge for manufacturers and food service operators desperately seeking functional, environmentally safe alternatives.
Working through NPL’s Measurement for Business (M4B) programme, scientists applied advanced spectroscopy and high-resolution microscopy to compare the chemical and physical signatures of Morro’s natural plant polymers before and after processing.
The results confirmed no meaningful chemical changes had occurred, validating that Morro materials are not chemically modified. Under the EU REACH regulation, natural polymers that have not been chemically modified are not classified as plastics.
Morro materials, already adopted by companies like Just Eat Takeaway, provide comparable grease and water resistance to conventional plastic coatings commonly found in paper and cardboard packaging. Unlike those plastic linings, Morro is derived only from plants, is biodegradable, home compostable, and fully compatible with existing recycling infrastructure.
Dr Marc Rodriguez Garcia, co-founder and CTO, Xampla, stressed the importance of independent data for buyers. “Given the rapid pace of regulatory change, packaging companies desperately need credible assurance about any plastic-free product they buy. Having the data from world-leading independent measurement scientists lets us alleviate doubts of even the most cautious customers.”
The verification has already helped Xampla secure new contracts, opening the door to the high-value functional barrier coatings market—projected by Smithers to be worth nearly $11 billion by 2028. Xampla has set an ambitious target to replace 10 billion items of single-use plastic with its Morro materials over the next five years.
Professor Max Ryadnov, NPL Fellow, affirmed the long-term industry impact: “Eventually, this work could lead to the development of standards to support plastic-free materials and processes used to manufacture them. Such standards will provide manufacturers and regulators with clear and internationally recognised benchmarks against which plastic-free claims can be verified.”
