Above image: Plastic Pollution Coalition and Amalgamated Bank host Regenerative Solutions to Plastic Pollution event during SF Climate Week. Photo by Chloe Jackman Photography
On April 22 (Earth Day) 2026, Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) and Amalgamated Bank partnered to host a sold-out event during SF Climate Week in San Francisco, California, to draw attention to biobased material innovation while providing a casual networking space for partnerships to emerge. The Regenerative Solutions to Plastic Pollution event brought together key partners across industries and sectors, including banking and investing, material manufacturing, and the packaging supply chain to connect with allies from the movement to end plastic pollution and the general public. Attendees engaged with material innovators, heard from a panel of leading experts, and forged relationships in an open-networking environment.
SF Climate Week is an annual week of climate events held across the Bay Area, which this year featured more than 650 public events attended by over 60,000 people. The Regenerative Solutions to Plastic Pollution event was unique in that a bank and a nonprofit showed that cross-sector partnerships are not only possible, but are crucial to advancing and providing exposure for real-world solutions to plastic pollution. It also took place the day of the launch of PPC’s new report: Material Shift: A Primer on Regenerative Alternatives to Plastic.
Materials Exhibit and Biomaterial Innovation Panel
For the first hour, attendees engaged with leading innovators face to face and could check out, hold, and feel next-generation materials up close during a material exhibit. From seaweed packaging and Vivomer technology to hemp fiber and mycelium, we are grateful for the biomaterial innovators and companies that joined us, including: LOLIWARE, Shellworks, Verde, GOB, Sway, RENW, and Clement Packaging.
Following the material exhibit we hosted an hour-long panel that explored how biomaterials are moving from promising innovations to scalable alternatives to plastic—and what it will take to accelerate that transition. The discussion brought perspectives across technological innovation, commercialization, and investment to generate a holistic conversation about current strategies to bring biobased solutions to market. We heard a fascinating discussion followed by audience Q&A featuring: Amir Afshar, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Shellworks; Elizabeth Bridges, Chief Commercialization Officer, Verde Biomaterials; Victoria Piunova, Chief Technology Officer, LOLIWARE; and moderated by: Matt Saunders, Managing Partner, New Earth Ventures.
What’s Next?
We are aiming to host more events like this in the near future, including at Climate Week NYC, to highlight more experts working to advance plastic pollution solutions, including leaders in the reuse movement, industry-specific breakthroughs, and material innovation.
In the meantime, you can learn more in Plastic Pollution Coalition’s new report, MATERIAL SHIFT: A Primer on Regenerative Alternatives to Plastic. The report highlights some of the most promising regenerative materials to replace plastics—as well as the need to level the playing field so they can compete at scale and help end global plastic pollution. In the transition away from single-use plastic packaging, non-toxic reuse and refill systems must serve as the foundation; however, in applications where such systems are not possible, we must choose regenerative materials from nature—materials like agricultural residues, hemp and other bast fibers, mycelium, and seaweed—that do not cause lasting pollution.
