The Plastic That Fades Away, and Ends Up Saving Coral Reefs

What started as an effort to create a better alternative to conventional plastic straws led to something nobody expected.

In this episode, we speak with Brad Laporte and Michael Winters from WinCup, the team behind PHADE®—a PHA-based material designed to biodegrade in environments where conventional plastics persist. Along the way, they discovered an entirely unexpected application: helping researchers restore coral reefs by protecting young corals during their most vulnerable stage.

Together, we discuss:

- How bacteria can produce the next generation of plastics

- Why they chose PHA over paper straws

- The surprising connection between biodegradable plastics and coral restoration

- What it takes to bring a new material from the lab to billions of products

- Why science, certification, and performance matter in building trust

This is a fascinating conversation about material innovation, unexpected discoveries, and how one idea can solve problems far beyond its original purpose.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!