This new plant-based material might be the key to ditching single-use plastics

A promising new material created from plants could help replace the single-use plastics that dominate our everyday lives. Developed by researchers in Japan, this cellulose-based paperboard is durable, waterproof, and fully biodegradable, making it one of the most compelling contenders for a plant-based plastic replacement.

The design here builds on cellulose, the structural molecule found in plant cell walls and already used to make cellophane. Traditionally, cellophane has remained…