Wrapping up 

Great Wrap is not just a materials science company – they are pioneers on a mission to break humanity’s reliance on traditional plastics. Founded by Jordy and Julia Kay, Great Wrap is on a journey to revolutionise materials, confront the waste crisis head-on and leave plastic to history.

hube: Could you share more about the specific products or innovations developed by Great Lab to address the reliance on traditional plastics?

Julia Kay: Our Great Lab team is always working on material innovation to find the best materials and feedstocks possible to go into making our wrap. They work very closely with our manufacturing team to ensure the materials we use are suitable for our machinery and customers. They have helped to refine our materials so we can produce super strong and reliable stretch wraps. Additionally, our lab is also working on our future material development so that we will be in a position to manufacture a material that is not only compostable but marine-degradable too.

h: How does Eddie Attenborough’s research on marine degradable film (PHA) contribute to your mission of ending human reliance on plastics?

JK: Eddie’s PhD work through Monash University has been pivotal in shaping the future of Great Wrap. He and the team have conducted extensive research that’s brought us closer to realising our PHA dream. 

h: As co-founders with backgrounds in winemaking and architecture, how did you transition into the materials science sector, and what inspired the founding of Great Wrap?

JK: We definitely didn’t have the most traditional entrance into the packaging industry, coming from winemaking and architecture! But we both were using and seeing a lot of traditional pallet wrap enter and leave our job sites and it was really frustrating to witness. We knew that this product was essential in businesses and supply chains all over the world, and couldn’t believe there wasn’t already a compostable alternative on the market. So we decided to develop the material we knew the world was missing and needed, and we found that a lot of the skills from our previous industries translated well into what we do now.

h: Could you elaborate on the 10-year vision for a world without plastic and the steps Great Wrap is taking to achieve this goal?

JK: Our 10-year vision is to see Great Wrap knock traditional pallet wrap off shelves and out of supply chains, making a truly positive impact in the compostable and material innovation space globally. How we plan on doing that is by continuing to scale up our factory in Tullamarine, expanding the brand globally and building our own biorefinery in Australia to develop PHA. This marine-degradable and compostable material will allow us to minimise reliance on global material suppliers and increase our manufacturing volumes to cater to a larger global customer base. 

h: What challenges did you encounter in the materials revolution, and how did you overcome them to develop innovative solutions?

JK: One of our biggest challenges has been keeping up with the global demand. We’ve been very lucky to have a lot of global media attention, which always results in a lot of enquiries from far and wide. People want to see us everywhere, which is amazing, but it all takes time, and we’re working on it by continuously scaling our factory. This means machinery development and team growth. 

Early on in our start-up journey, we were faced with many Covid-19 supply chain delays. This meant it took longer than we’d hoped to set up our machinery as we had many setbacks and delays. We overcame these challenges by being resourceful in the factory, working on material R&D, focusing on our home product and setting up what we could on-site. This allowed us to accelerate our material development so that when our factory was fully commissioned, we were ready to go to market with a high-performing product. 

h: In what ways has Great Wrap been recognised globally, and how have these accolades contributed to the company’s growth and influence?

JK: We’ve been very fortunate to be recognised by numerous awards and media publications worldwide. Some that have significantly contributed to our growth have been Fast Company, Good Design Awards, The Design Files, Australian Financial Review and Melbourne Awards. These accolades have provided us with amazing reach and brand awareness, serving as compelling examples of social proof for future Great Wrap adopters.  

h: How does Great Wrap’s positive and empowering culture contribute to its success, and what initiatives are in place to create local jobs and support the community?

JK: We pride ourselves on offering a flexible and inclusive workplace, always striving to support our team both inside and outside of work. As a B Corp-certified business, we work to make a difference every day while upholding the highest standards for our team, customers and environment. Initiatives we have in place for our team include company share through ESOP, free psychology sessions through an EAP, extra annual leave and quarterly ‘happy days’, and a parental leave policy. 

h: How does the company’s commitment to compostable materials align with the rapidly changing landscape of packaging and consumer preferences?

JK: Our commitment to compostable materials aligns with the current Australian Government packaging targets set for 2025. This says that 100% of packaging needs to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025. And 70% of plastic packaging needs to be recycled or composted by 2025. We’re pleased to offer a solution for homes and businesses in Australia, making it easier for them to meet these targets.