Upcycling agricultural residues into scalable, industry-ready sustainable materials

In response to the growing global demand for sustainable materials, RP School of Applied Science, partnered with industry collaborators to transform underutilised agricultural by-products into high-performance, biodegradable bio-composite materials. 

The project was successfully licensed to RP start up. A proprietary, chemical-free conversion process was developed, harnessing the natural binding properties of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and lignin found in agricultural residues. By eliminating synthetic resins and harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the innovation significantly reduces environmental impact while streamlining manufacturing processes. 

This breakthrough enables agricultural waste such as rice and fruit side streams to be upcycled into sustainable materials, packaging solutions, and composite alternatives. Supporting Singapore’s Green Plan 2030, the collaboration demonstrates how applied materials science and industry partnership can advance circular economy principles, reduce carbon emissions, and create scalable, commercially viable sustainable solutions.

 Learn about the technology here.