Companies

Lemon Jelly teams up with Balena to launch first 100% circular handbag

Jan 14, 2025 Portugal

The Portuguese brand Lemon Jelly has teamed up with Balena to launch the world’s first 100% circular handbag, hoping to create a movement that can revolutionise the fashion world

In partnership with Balena Science, a company that develops high-performance biopolymer materials, the Portuguese footwear and accessories brand owned by Procalçados group, has just launched an handbag made of BioCir®Flexum, an organic-based thermoplastic material that is fully compostable and recyclable.

In fact, it is a material solution that can be fully perfectly processed like conventional plastics, taken to a composting facility at the end of its life and biodegraded into renewable biomass, leaving no residue or negative impact on the environment.

Lemon Jelly, which launched the new product via LinkedIn, guarantees that “We’re not just creating a product; we’re playing a pivotal role in a greener, more conscious world, all while staying true to our fun, signature touch”. Balena also emphasises that “Nyssa isn’t just a handbag; it’s a movement, a sustainable symbol for those who believe that fashion leaves no trace”,

“This collaboration celebrates the strengths of both Balena’s material science innovation and Lemon Jelly’s commitment to responsible fashion”, concludes the Telavive-based bioplymer materials company. Furthermore, to ensure full circularity, the companies included an end-of-life plan.

At the end of the product’s life, users will be able to return the handbag to Lemon Jelly for recycling. Balena has also established a network of industrial composting facilities that will be linked to Lemon Jelly. This will ensure that when the product is no longer suitable for reuse, it can be composted responsibly and sustainably.

Available from the Lemon Jelly online shop, Nyssa is available in black and amber yellow, both with a matte finish.

Source: apiccaps.pt; Image Credits: lemonjelly.com

Innovation Portugal Materials Partnerships Portuguese Shoes Sustainability