720236Sustainable Packaging for temperature controlled distribution of Pharmaceutical products (PharmaPack)ClosedGRD Development of PrototypeInnovate UKIt is widely reported and recognised by the Pharmaceutical industry, that there is a growing and urgent need for an effective, genuinely sustainable and environmentally responsible insulated packaging solution for the distribution of temperature sensitive healthcare products. Globally, there is a realisation that current oil-based insulated packaging materials e.g. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) or Polyethylene are unsustainable and failing to provide consistent insulation performance under all temperature conditions. This project aims to address compelling environmental and commercial arguments against the widespread use of polymer based insulated packaging materials through the development of a truly innovative and viable alternative insulated packaging product, manufactured from sustainable, biodegradable and recyclable materials. It is absolutely critical that many medicines and vaccines are maintained within tight temperature ranges e.g. 2° to 8°C, during global transit under extremes of ambient temperature. The inherent properties of wool will enable vaccines and medicines to be delivered safely according to these time and temperature criteria, thus providing a viable and superior alternative to existing Polystyrene and Polyethylene packaging. Employing 'bio-mimicry' technology, the objectives of the project are to develop a novel prototype of a wool based insulated packaging solution for the safe delivery of medicines and vaccines. Pharmaceutical companies and patients will benefit from the safe and effective delivery of medicines and vaccines on a global level and the use of wool based insulation will impact on the huge quantity of oil based packaging materials currently used. The outcome of the success of this project will bring to the market a viable and superior alternative to existing Polystyrene and Polyethylene packaging.