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Image Not Available for Polymer wax comb
Polymer wax comb
Image Not Available for Polymer wax comb

Polymer wax comb

Date2024
Object number00056601
NameComb
MediumSeagrass
DimensionsOverall: 34 x 75 x 4 mm,
ClassificationsTools and equipment
Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection Gift from Uluu
Description'Made with Uluu' 100% seagrass wax comb produced by Western Australian startup Uluu as a proof of concept. Co-founded by oceanographer Dr Julia Reisser and lawyer Michael Kingsbury, the startup Uluu has developed a polymer that sequesters carbon, is home compostable and is representative of new products that may replace fossil fuel plastics in many applications, from packaging to furniture and textiles. Uluu is a type of ‘PHA’, a natural polymer produced via fermentation. It can mimic plastic properties, while remaining biodegradable, even in the ocean. PHAs can be produced from crops such as corn, but the Uluu product is made from seaweed, seawater and saltwater microbes. This is the third comb ever made. SignificanceThis comb, while small, is a massive first step for Australia’s future circular economy. It has significance and potential for exhibition as an example of a circular economy product that works. It is an example of where we are going as a nation if we support our national renewable industries.