Location: Come to the presentation with other minors in the McCune Conference Room (6th floor of HSSB) and have pizza and drinks afterwards. Or attend the presentation via Zoom (https://ucsb.zoom.us/j/87218158478?pwd=bXB5bzFjRXEyaC9NMjhkSHNXRG80UT09) preferably with your camera on.

Talk Overview: What if plastic, one of the basic building blocks of modern society, was transformed into a regenerative, guilt-free material? In this talk, Sway co-founder and CEO Julia Marsh will share how her company is helping make that future possible through the power of seaweed. We’ll also explore a variety of regenerative, bio-based, and carbon-negative materials emerging in the industry, barriers to scale, and the role designers play in building systems that inherently restore and replenish life. 

About Julia: Julia Marsh is the co-founder and CEO of Sway, a venture-backed materials company producing compostable packaging made from seaweed. Julia is an interdisciplinary designer by trade, with over a decade spent building brand and packaging systems for consumer goods companies, technology startups, and design studios. Her career as a designer has been inspired by a lifelong affection for the ocean and the belief that designers must take part in solving the planet’s greatest challenges. She has spoken on this topic at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Aspen IDEAs Festival, Dieline Conference, LEGO Remix, and others. 

Founded in 2020, Sway is on a mission to replenish the planet by supporting healthy ocean ecosystems, eliminating plastic waste, and creating a more inclusive climate movement. In 2021, Sway was named as a winner of the Beyond the Bag Challenge, sponsored by Closed Loop Partners and a consortium of global retailers. Sway has been featured in publications including Forbes, Adweek, and Fast Company. The company is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, and 1% for the Planet.