Sway Die Cut Handle Bags

This material contains a minimum of 50% TPSea™ : an innovative resin from Sway that’s certified 100% biobased and primarily derived from sustainably harvested seaweed. To enhance durability, the rest of the film is composed of compostable polymers. While this bag already represents a major step forward, it’s only the start. Sway is actively pushing toward even higher levels of seaweed and biobased content in future formulations.

Sway Die Cut Handle Bags are a great replacement to the traditional poly die cut handle retail bags. Currently, the Sway Die Cut Handle Bag is best suited to package dry items like apparel, outdoor gear, personal care, accessories, and home goods.

Today’s retail bag options are limited: single-use plastic or paper bags, or reusable bags typically made with polypropylene (PP) or recycled PET. Each comes with its own set of environmental challenges.

At EcoEnclose, we believe it's time to broaden and diversify the raw materials we depend on. Moving beyond solely relying on fossil fuels and trees is essential, and introducing more regenerative inputs is a critical step forward.

We’re excited to launch retail bags made with Sway’s seaweed-based film. When sourced responsibly, seaweed is one of the most promising regenerative materials available:

• It boosts biodiversity in ocean ecosystems
• Absorbs carbon and excess nutrients
• Requires no land, freshwater, or synthetic inputs
• Supports coastal communities with climate-resilient livelihoods

The foundation of these bags is at least 50% TPSea™, Sway’s new, patented category of biopolymer pellet that is home compostable and made entirely from seaweed and plants. This thermoplastic resin can be transformed into an ocean of clean, next-generation materials that drive down pollution, marking a meaningful step toward a more diversified and resilient packaging future.

Because die-cut handle bags are used in physical retail rather than the complex global supply chains that poly bags are used in, they represent a format that brands can adopt quickly and impactfully for in-person experiences. Events, grocery stores, retail boutiques, farmers markets, and food service establishments are endless opportunities for brands to test out seaweed packaging!

The Sway Die Cut Handle Bags can hold up to 10lbs with confidence. Samples are recommended to test.

This bag is designed for both home and industrial composting and is currently undergoing certification through TUV Austria. Testing is actively in progress, with completion expected by mid-2025. This bag is not recyclable. If you don’t have access to composting, landfill these bags - but rest assured that they still have the environmental benefit of being derived largely from seaweed.

Seaweed is a fast-growing, regenerative ocean crop rich in natural polymers — the essential components of Sway’s bio-based materials. When compared to other renewable inputs like sugarcane, corn, or potatoes, seaweed offers standout environmental advantages.

Unlike land-based crops grown using traditional agriculture, seaweed flourishes with minimal intervention, needing only sunlight and seawater to grow. It’s highly productive, doesn’t compete for arable land, and can be cultivated along coastlines around the world. As it grows, seaweed can also deliver ecological benefits — from supporting marine habitats and increasing biodiversity to helping combat climate change by reducing ocean acidification and coastal erosion. Emerging research also shows seaweed’s impressive ability to absorb and store carbon.

Sway partners with a carefully selected global network of seaweed growers and harvesters who prioritize responsible and sustainable practices. Their trusted sourcing network spans regions like Maine, Puerto Rico, Chile, Brazil, Indonesia, Madagascar, and more. Because seaweed thrives in marine environments around the world, it’s naturally well-suited for global cultivation. As Sway continues to scale, they remain dedicated to broadening and strengthening their seaweed sourcing strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and supply diversity.

Sway is deeply invested in building a transparent and sustainable seaweed supply chain grounded in ethical sourcing practices. Each supplier undergoes a thorough evaluation process, where factors like seaweed origin, ecological effects, processing methods, and community impact are closely reviewed. Sway is also creating a supplier scoring framework, modeled in part on ASC-MSC standards, to better assess potential partners. Their approach is shaped by three core pillars:

1. Cultivation & Processing Practices: Sway favors seaweed that’s grown in regenerative, polyculture environments, which help restore coastal ecosystems. In special cases, like with sargassum — a fast-spreading invasive species — Sway explores its potential as a valuable input, such as through its Puerto Rico Studio project. Data collection on environmental and processing impacts is central to their ongoing work with suppliers.

2. Global & Regional Diversity: By working with a wide range of red and brown seaweeds globally, Sway taps into the natural abundance of polymers like alginate, carrageenan, and agar — key ingredients in its bio-packaging solutions. Prioritizing diversity reduces pressure on any one ecosystem and supports a resilient, decentralized sourcing model.

3. Community-Centered Sourcing: All seaweed in Sway’s supply chain comes from farmers who are paid fairly and operate under ethical conditions. Sway collaborates with partners focused on social good — from lobster fishermen in Maine and Indigenous groups in South America to coastal communities in the Caribbean adapting to climate change. And they’re just getting started.