What is the name of your organization?
Zuripacks Limited
What is the name of your solution?
Zuripacks: Bio-Packaging
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
We reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions by converting banana crop waste into plant-based, biodegradable and eco-friendly packaging alternatives.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Nairobi, Kenya
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
Kenya
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Plastic packaging waste is a significant climate and environmental threat. Globally, plastic packaging accounts for 36% of all plastic waste, and only 9% is recycled (UNEP). The rest ends up in landfills, open dumps, or is burned, leading to carbon emissions that contribute directly to global warming. In many parts of Africa, including Kenya, open burning of plastic is common due to limited waste infrastructure, adding toxic pollutants and greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
At the same time, agricultural waste, particularly banana pseudostems, is widely discarded or burned in rural areas. This organic waste, when left to decay, releases methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than CO₂. Kenya alone produces over one million tonnes of banana waste annually, much of which contributes to emissions or goes unused.
The lack of accessible, low-carbon alternatives to plastic packaging and the underutilization of agricultural waste represent a missed opportunity in climate mitigation. These two waste streams, plastic and agricultural, converge into a compounding climate crisis, particularly in underserved communities where environmental degradation and climate vulnerability are already high. Addressing this issue requires scalable solutions that reduce emissions, promote circularity, and build local climate resilience.
What is your solution?
We offer a sustainable packaging solution that transforms banana crop waste into biodegradable, plant-based alternatives to plastic packaging. We collect discarded banana pseudostems from local farmers, extract their natural fibres using mechanical decorticators, and process them into a durable paper-like material. This banana paper is then crafted into eco-friendly packaging products such as carrier bags and boxes. The process uses minimal water and energy, and no harmful chemicals, making it low-impact and climate-friendly. We operate through small-scale decentralised production hubs located in banana-growing communities, allowing for local processing and reducing transport-related emissions.
Our technology combines traditional knowledge of natural fibre extraction with modern techniques in biofabrication and sustainable material science. In the future, we aim to enhance the durability and water-resistance of our products using natural resins sourced from beeswax or tree sap.
Our solution not only replaces single-use plastic packaging and the resulting carbon emissions from plastic production but also prevents the release of methane from rotting banana crop waste, creates green jobs for women and youth, and supports a circular, regenerative economy rooted in local ecosystems.
Watch our process in action using this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwC3kDVZhnA
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution directly serves three key groups: marginalised women and youth, smallholder banana farmers, and eco-conscious businesses seeking sustainable packaging solutions.
In rural and peri-urban Kenya, women and youth often face high unemployment and limited access to dignified income opportunities. Many are trapped in informal, low-paying work with little to no long-term stability. Banana farmers, on the other hand, produce large amounts of crop waste (pseudostems) that go unused or are burned, contributing to emissions without economic benefit.
Our solution transforms this agricultural waste into opportunity. We train and employ women and youth in local production hubs, equipping them with green skills in fibre processing and eco-packaging manufacturing. This provides steady income, builds technical capacity, and fosters entrepreneurship. Farmers are paid for their banana crop waste, creating a new revenue stream from previously discarded material. On the other hand, by offering sustainable packaging, we help local businesses and vendors comply with Kenya’s plastic ban and reduce their environmental footprint.
