The only Australian made compostable stretch wrap, not just good, it's Great Wrap

Challenge

Environmental degradation from plastic waste is well documented. The most cursory internet search reveals a long list of confronting statistics. Every minute a truckload of plastic is dumped in the ocean. More than 70% of beach litter in the world is plastic. Despite this, the world produces twice as much plastic waste as two decades ago. Only 9% gets recycled. (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development 2022) 

Australians generate 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste every year including 70 billion pieces of soft plastic, 84% of which we dump in landfill.  

The Federal Government has set ambitious targets where all packaging should be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. But the reality is, very few products meet these criteria. A glaring example is single use, stretch wrap like cling wrap, catering wrap, silage wrap and pallet wrap. 

In this country alone, we send over 100,000 tonnes of stretch wrap to landfill each year. Pallet wrap makes up the lion’s share. A critical part of the global supply chain, traditional pallet wrap is the connector of all businesses but very few facilities can recycle it. More than 90% goes to landfill.  

Solution

Made with compostable biopolymers and plant-based oils Great Wrap’s certified compostable machine pallet wrap is designed for Australian business to secure pallet loads and minimise their supply chain waste.  

The innovative, locally made solution aligns with the latest Federal Government targets that require 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by 2025

As well as being fully compostable, the product is optimised for the rigour of industry use. It functions smoothly on high-speed lines, is capable of a 250% pre-stretch and maintains high tension. The wrap is also denser and stronger than traditional wrap, so users can reduce their wrap thickness without affecting results. 

Operating their own manufacturing facility gives them total oversight of everything that goes into the products.  

Great Wrap also has direct-to-consumer branding that not only helps the environment but helps educate people about the value compostable plastics can have on our global footprint. 

The innovative product outperforms traditional plastics and decomposes in compost environments. As a further ‘safeguard’ to ensure the product gets discarded as intended, Great Wrap is actively developing a network to connect customers with organic recyclers.  

In addition to a suite of compostable wrap for different uses, Great Wrap has also developed technology to create marine degradable PHAs using feedstocks such as food waste and CO2.  

“Our business takes a two-pronged approach to achieving a sustainable future. We believe that true change happens in our homes, and this can drive change on a macro level. Our ultimate goal is to completely transition businesses away from using plastic pallet wrap in their supply chain.”  

– Great Wrap co-founder, Julia Kay 

Result

Great Wrap’s goal is to use the versatility of its compostable products to knock traditional plastic stretch films out of circulation entirely. Great Wrap currently operate a 12,000 sqm manufacturing facility in Melbourne and work closely with Australian businesses to decarbonise their transport logistics.  

Great Wrap currently makes 5,000 tonnes of compostable stretch wrap and forecasts output to be 20,000 tonnes in years to come. This will make the company Australia’s largest stretch wrap manufacturer and significantly decrease our need to import stretch wrap from other parts of the world. 

One of our biggest challenges is keeping up with global demand. - Julia Kay

Beyond the evident value of Great Wrap products, extensive international media attention, awards recognition and prominent speaking engagements for co-founders, Julia Kay and Jordy Kay, feeds this demand. 

In recent years, the business has won the CommBank Young Hero Award (2024), Sustainability Award at the City of Melbourne Awards (2021), Julia became 2022 Young Victorian of the Year and appeared on the Earth Netflix series, Down to Earth, hosted by Zac Efron (2022).  

Among many highlights in 2023 and 2024, Great Wrap’s consumer product, Great Mate, was showcased at Singapore Design Week and in the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, the company was included as one of KPMG’s High Growth Ventures and Julia addressed the 2024 Climate Investor Forum in Melbourne on solutions to single use plastic waste. 

“Whether you know it or not, most businesses are using single-use plastic pallet wrap to send and receive their goods. This product is essential and it's a global problem we are solving.”  

– Great Wrap co-founder, Julia Kay