PVA PRO bags $1 million from ITI fund to address plastic waste

Traditional plastics can take centuries to degrade, while biodegradable plastics require specialised facilities to decompose them over 6-12 months. PVA PRO's products, utilising Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) compounds, astoundingly dissolve in warm water (70 degrees Celsius) within 30-60 minutes.

PVA has been used in many applications, including laundry detergent pods and medicine wrappers, but its inherent cloudiness and quick dissolution in cold water have limited its suitability for packaging. In contrast, PVA PRO has ingeniously overcome these challenges by creating thin and transparent packaging that only rapidly dissolves upon exposure to warm water.

This breakthrough dramatically broadens its potential applications across a diverse range of industries. The startup plans to expand PVA PRO solutions into various sectors, such as retail and fast-moving consumer goods, building on their success in delivering eco-friendly packaging solutions for the garment and fashion industry.

CEO and co-founder of PVA PRO Raphael Cazalbou envisions that, thanks to the $1 million investment and the strategic and operational advisory received from the ITI Fund, PVA PRO will achieve significant milestones. These include enhancing its manufacturing capabilities, developing new products, expanding the market, and creating even greater sustainable value for the community.

Dang Thi Kieu My, ITI Fund's director, shed light on the compelling reasons behind the fund's decision to invest in PVA PRO.

She underlined the team's wealth of experience, their dynamic approach, and their impressive track record in crafting innovative solutions. Furthermore, she emphasised the growing trend among major brands towards prioritising sustainability. This crucial element enables PVA PRO to realise its full potential and offer high-quality, environmentally friendly products to conscious consumers.

Established in 2021, PVA PRO's packaging solution not only maintains the flexibility of traditional plastics but also serves a diverse range of applications without producing microplastics or posing harm to animals and the natural ecosystem. This exemplifies the heartfelt desire of the founding team to address the pressing issue of plastic waste, amounting to 1.8 million tons in Vietnam and a staggering 300 million tons globally.

OXO-degradable plastics threaten sustainable development OXO-degradable microplastic particles have become a common pollutant in soil and water and pose a threat to both ecosystems and human health.

Plastics & Rubber Vietnam Exhibition 2023 opens in Hanoi Plastics & Rubber Vietnam 2023, an international plastics & rubber technologies and materials exhibition, kicked off at the International Centre for Exhibition in Hanoi on July 25.

Global treaty in sight for plastics battle Vietnam is joining the world’s efforts to formulate a legally binding treaty about plastic pollution, which has become a big menace for the country’s national development.