The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has named Zealafoam Holdings Ltd. as the winner of the 2026 Innovation in Bioplastics Award. Presented by the PLASTICS Bioplastics Division, the annual award recognizes innovative, unique and creative applications of bioplastics materials, products and manufacturing processes.
Zealafoam Holdings received the recognition for its ZealaFoam material, a 100 percent plant-based foam designed to closely match the insulation, cushioning and mechanical performance of traditional expanded polystyrene (EPS). The culmination of more than a decade of research, ZealaFoam is manufactured using the company’s proprietary process, offering manufacturers a practical and scalable pathway to incorporate plant-based materials into a range of applications.
ZealaFoam demonstrates how sustainable materials can go hand-in-hand with commercial practicality. According to the company, the material is engineered for applications requiring lightweight, insulated and impact-resistant foam, including protective packaging, cold chain logistics, construction products and other molded applications that traditionally utilize EPS.
“We’re excited to recognize Zealafoam as the 2026 Innovation in Bioplastics Award winner,” said Patrick Krieger, senior vice president of sustainability and policy at PLASTICS. “They’ve spent more than a decade developing a new plant-based material that combines strong performance with practical, real-world applications and will serve as a valuable option for manufacturers. We congratulate the entire Zealafoam team on this well-earned recognition and thank all of this year’s applicants. Every year, we’re impressed by the new ideas, technologies and applications coming out of our industry, and we’re excited by the possibilities as materials science continues to advance.”
“This recognition means a lot to our team,” said Sarah Heine, chief executive officer of ZealaFoam Holdings Ltd. “Our proprietary technology transforms plant-based PLA into high-performance expanded particle foam that can be supplied at different stages of the manufacturing process and processed using existing EPS manufacturing infrastructure, helping reduce one of the major barriers to adopting more sustainable materials. Behind ZealaFoam is more than a decade of research and development, a strong portfolio of intellectual property, and a team focused on taking the technology from New Zealand to international markets. We’re excited about what comes next.”
Published November 2026
