BIOWEG uses precision fermentation and green chemistry to turn food industry waste into biodegradable bacterial cellulose ingredients that replace microplastics.
BIOWEG, founded in 2019 and based in Germany, develops biodegradable ingredients intended to replace microplastics and petroleum-based polymers in cosmetics, personal care, agriculture and food products. The company combines precision fermentation with green chemistry to convert food industry side streams - from sugar, potato and beer production - into functional ingredients made from bacterial cellulose. Its patent-pending circular zero-waste process is designed to valorise agricultural waste while lowering carbon footprints.
The product line comprises MicBeads, a biodegradable ingredient built to substitute microplastics, alongside RheoWeg, Hydroweg and AgriWeg, functional bacterial cellulose-derived ingredients for cosmetics, personal care, food and agricultural applications. All four are described as 100% biodegradable, and are produced without animal-derived inputs or toxic chemicals.
BIOWEG frames its work around a defined environmental problem: millions of tons of microplastics and petroleum-based polymers enter ecosystems each year. The company's stated values centre on eliminating persistent microplastics, circular and zero-waste processing, and alignment with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals. Technical work spans precision fermentation, green chemistry, biomaterials, bacterial cellulose production and waste valorization.
