A Complex Problem

Packaging plays a key role in preserving freshness, preventing contamination, and protecting products during transportation. But the widespread use of petrochemical-based plastics, films, and containers – particularly for single-use applications – has significantly contributed to rising levels of plastic waste and microplastic pollution.

With increased growth in e-commerce and international trade, the packaging industry has seen increased demand. However, sustainable packaging alternatives have yet to be widely adopted and scaled within the industry due to technical complexity, cost, and lack of integration into existing systems. These barriers remain despite rising consumer concerns around plastic-based pollution and shifting regulatory policies.

“There’s not one silver bullet that’s going to solve the issue of why we can’t get biomaterials to market faster,” said Julie Willoughby, chief technology officer of TerraSafe Materials, Inc. “They need many different functionalities that petrochemical companies have been refining for the last 75 years.”

University Roots

Formed in 2023, TerraSafe was the first company to spin out of the Generation Rural Food Partnership (GFRP) fund, an early-stage venture fund managed by Big Idea Ventures, a venture firm that invests in innovative solutions in food and agriculture. The fund, launched in 2021, aims to drive economic growth and new job creation in the rural United States through commercialization of sustainable research innovations from U.S. universities.  

Big Idea partnered with NC State as its first university collaborator. The firm recruited NC State alumnus and serial entrepreneur Scott Bolin to lead TerraSafe. Bolin, a startup founder with experience commercializing university research innovations, secured licensing rights to the intellectual property from several universities – including NC State’s Department of Forest Biomaterials and its Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

This IP supports TerraSafe’s development of polymer-reinforced and cellulose-based, biodegradable foams which make up the core of their sustainable packaging alternatives.

Thinking Outside the Box

TerraSafe holds six patent families supporting different physical forms, functions, and properties with a focus on plastic packaging applications without viable alternatives. 

“If cardboard can do it, we’re not interested,” said Mary Lempres, creative director for TerraSafe. “We want to target applications requiring plastic packaging where there is no sustainable alternative.” 

“We want to target applications requiring plastic packaging where there is no sustainable alternative.”

One product focus is a rigid food tray produced from agricultural feedstocks intended to replace black plastic trays, which are commonly made from recycled electronic waste material and contain high amounts of carcinogens and flame retardants. These trays are unrecyclable due to their color and inability to be sorted with existing systems.

The company is pursuing packaging applications in food and food safety that can be composted by consumers at home, while acknowledging that traditional expectations and behavior around shelf life will need to evolve.

“We see design as important to shift behavior and expectations around the lifespan of packaging to more accurately align with the actual life span of the product,” said Lempres, who leads TerraSafe’s user-focused product design. “A product might expire and be thrown out but its packaging is going to last 100 times over what the product lifespan would be.”

TerraSafe’s most near-term commercial solution has been developed using technology acquired from DisSolves, a Pennsylvania-based startup using food byproducts to create edible types of materials. The acquisition accelerated development of a dissolvable, edible pod to replace petroleum-derived polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) pods, the current standard for dissolving film. TerraSafe’s edible, plastic-free pod utilizes 100% food-grade ingredients and – with no petroleum used – the pod rapidly dissolves when placed in liquid to produce a flavorful beverage such as hot chocolate or coffee. The company has secured early adopter customers for an early access production run, a list that is currently oversubscribed.

TerraSafe is using the same edible film technology to develop a polyvinyl-free laundry detergent sheet that dissolves with water in a laundry machine to release active cleaning agents, allowing consumers to forego liquid detergents with a pre-ratioed solution of detergent while also limiting packaging waste. The company developed this solution after a trade show attendee inquired about broader uses for the technology. TerraSafe took the concept and was able to generate a working prototype within a month. 

“It’s a great example of how we can spin-out additional products to reduce plastic in our industry while our core product portfolio remains around reducing microplastic exposure in food.” Willoughby said, “and shows our ability to rapidly move from proof-of-concept through design to manufacturing.”

Expansion in North Carolina

The company closed a seed round with Big Idea Ventures through its GRFP fund in mid-2024 and has since seen significant growth. In January 2025, TerraSafe moved into a 60,000 square foot production facility in Youngsville, N.C., where the team manufactures its dissolvable films and coatings. Its site also houses an analytical laboratory used for research and testing in collaboration with NC State, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Duke University.

Their company has grown from four employees to nearly twenty within the past year, and is actively recruiting talent. In 2024, TerraSafe recruited four NC State chemical engineering students as interns to assist in their expanding production efforts. The company continues to benefit from its proximity to NC State and other leading research universities, tapping into a strong pipeline of talent and expertise to drive its continued growth.

Willoughby holds a Ph.D. in chemical and biomolecular engineering from NC State, where her research explored surface dynamics through the manipulation of material properties. With more than 25 years of experience and dedication to material innovation at scale, Willoughby has made significant contributions in a range of diverse environments – from global enterprises like Dow, MeadWestvaco, and Nike to her role in growing Circ®, an early-stage textile recycling company. 

Beyond her industry work, Willoughby has also served as an educator and mentor. As a faculty member in NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles, she advised students and served as principal investigator on a Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she explored crop protection solutions using banana fibers. This strong connection to NC State also extends to TerraSafe’s technical team, which includes alumni Caleb Meredith and Kayleigh Cotton. Meredith, who earned his Ph.D. from NC State, was one of Bolin’s first employees at Tethis, another innovative startup that originated from NC State research.

TerraSafe is preparing to raise additional funding to scale production and meet industry price expectations for sustainable packaging. “A challenge in the packaging space is its tight margins,” Willoughby said, “the petrochemical industry has scaled to such large volumes that manufacturing costs are extremely low. We’re working with high-end customers to reduce costs and move toward domestic manufacturing at scale.”

A Bio-Based Future

From edible films and coatings to rigid food trays, TerraSafe is developing products to address reliance on “forever plastics” while meeting real-world manufacturing and consumer needs. The company’s long term vision is to validate a circular, bio-based economy – with North Carolina at its center.

“The packaging we are targeting is lightweight and single-use – the perfect class of product to replace with biomaterials,” said Lempres, “Our materials won’t end up in our water systems or break down into harmful microplastics.”

As shifting global regulations and increased consumer awareness drive a push for more sustainable materials, TerraSafe is leading the way.

“The word ‘terra’ means earth, so for us, ‘TerraSafe’ underscores that safety is something we’re prioritizing…not only safe packaging for food but for human health and the health of our planet,” Lempres said.

To learn more about TerraSafe and their innovative approach to transforming the packaging industry, visit terrasafematerials.com