• Shellworks, founded in 2019, is developing Vivomer, a biodegradable material designed to replace single-use plastics, especially in industries like cosmetics.
  • In 2022, the startup raised $6.2 million in seed funding, supported by prominent investors like LocalGlobe, Founder Collective, and Big Idea Ventures.
  • Shellworks has joined the Unreasonable Group accelerator and is discussing with major cosmetic brands, aiming to reshape global packaging standards​.

In a world drowning in plastic waste, where microplastics infiltrate our oceans and landfills overflow with single-use packaging, Shellworks stands as a force for change.

This London-based startup, founded in 2019 by Amir Afshar and Insiya Jafferjee, is rewriting the rules of packaging, creating biodegradable alternatives designed to return to nature without leaving a trace.

With their revolutionary material, Vivomer, Shellworks aims to challenge industries like cosmetics, notorious for their reliance on plastic, and offer a sustainable future where packaging serves a purpose beyond mere convenience.

The Bold Vision for a Plastic-Free Future

Afshar and Jafferjee didn’t meet by chance—they were drawn together by a shared urgency to tackle the plastics crisis head-on.

Studying at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, they combined their expertise in engineering and design to embark on a bold mission: to invent packaging materials that don’t just mimic plastic but outperform it, without the devastating environmental costs.

The result was Vivomer, a biomaterial created from microorganisms that behave like plastic yet biodegrade entirely, returning to the earth in a matter of months rather than centuries.

This is not just innovation for the sake of innovation—it’s a battle cry against the status quo.

In an age where packaging waste suffocates ecosystems, Shellworks is offering a lifeline, a tangible solution that could help industries break free from their plastic addiction.

Confronting the Cosmetic Industry’s Dirty Secret

One of the first battlegrounds for Shellworks is the cosmetics industry, where the scale of plastic waste is staggering.

From glossy lipsticks to elegant cream jars, much of the packaging ends up in the trash after just a single use. For decades, the beauty industry has turned a blind eye to the environmental cost of its products, but Shellworks isn’t willing to let that continue.

Vivomer offers brands a viable alternative—a material that meets the high standards of aesthetics and functionality, while also decomposing naturally once it has served its purpose.

“Our vision is to break the reliance on the petroleum industry by building a new standard of packaging that is performant, cost competitive and truly sustainable,” said Jafferjee.

Turning Heads, Raising Funds

The startup raised $6.2 million in seed funding in 2022, with investment led by LocalGlobe, along with contributions from Founder Collective and Big Idea Ventures, a firm specializing in sustainability and innovative materials.

This capital influx is fueling Shellworks' research and development, allowing it to refine its breakthrough material, Vivomer, and expand its applications beyond the cosmetic industry.

Shellworks' connection to Big Idea Ventures and their recent admission into the Unreasonable Group accelerator further cement the belief that the company’s technology could reshape entire industries.

Unreasonable Group's mentorship and global network provide Shellworks with the resources and thought leadership needed to accelerate its growth.

Shaping a New Era of Packaging

As the plastic crisis deepens, the need for solutions like Shellworks has never been more urgent.

They aren’t just offering an alternative—they’re providing a vision for a world where packaging serves not just consumers but the planet itself.

With Vivomer, Shellworks is proving that innovation can be regenerative, not destructive.

Edited By Annette George