ParaFlex

What it does

ParaFlex transforms rice paddy straw, 75Mt of which is burned annually in India, into recyclable, bio-based thermoformable materials, that offer low-carbon thermal, acoustic, and mechanical dampening solutions across industries, thus discouraging straw burning

Your inspiration

Having grown up in India, I’ve seen first hand how crop burning devastates air quality. AQI in the north often exceeds 400, and in late 2024, it spiked past 1000 (compared to London’s average of 30). Burning costs the Indian economy $30B annually, causes 100,000 premature deaths, and reduces crop yields. It also releases over 8 Mt of CO₂ and contributes to 15% of global air pollution from crop burning. Inspired by Henry Ford’s soybean car, ParaFlex aims to curb this crisis by creating large-scale demand for rice straw by catering to industries such as thermal insulation (UK), acoustics (MENA), and automotive/consumer electronics globally.

How it works

ParaFlex is a recyclable composite made from rice straw. The material is shaped by applying heat and pressure in a mould, and once cooled, it retains the desired form and can be painted for specific aesthetic outcomes. By adjusting ingredient ratios, ParaFlex can achieve a range of properties including thermal, acoustic, and mechanical dampening. These variations make it suitable for multiple applications, from malleable sheets for facades or foam-like forms, to semi-rigid or rigid components such as consumer electronics casings, interior car parts, and non-load-bearing structures.

Design process

ParaFlex began with the goal of making 100% compostable slippers for hotels using rice paddy straw. Early prototypes were flat-pressed sheets cut into soles & heat compressed soles using 3 piece moulds. As we refined strength, flexibility, and surface finish, we saw potential beyond fashion and moved toward developing a thermoformable composite. By adjusting ingredient ratios, we created variants with thermal, acoustic, and mechanical dampening properties. This allowed us to shape the material using heat and pressure in moulds, enabling rigid, semi-rigid, or malleable forms. We prototyped acoustic/thermal panels, footwear & will soon develop consumer electronics casings and car interiors & will send our material for, testing for flexibility, form retention, and paintability. To reduce adoption friction, ParaFlex was engineered to work with existing manufacturing methods like vacuum forming or compression moulding. Depending on the formulation, each version is either compostable or recoverable, designed to match the performance needs of different industries without greenwashing end-of-life claims.

How it is different

ParaFlex began with 100% compostable disposable slippers for hotels and later aimed to make all of fast fashion compostable. As the prototypes evolved, we identified a need to expand the bio-revolution into sectors typically untouched by such materials. ParaFlex is engineered to integrate seamlessly into existing manufacturing processes, enabling rapid adoption across industries and geographies. It is also designed as a platform technology, small, controlled changes to ingredient ratios unlock new properties, allowing tailored performance for applications in fashion, construction, mobility, and beyond. What truly sets ParaFlex apart is its material integrity. We don't greenwash by claiming every variant does everything. Instead, each version is clearly defined as either compostable or recoverable, based on its actual formulation and end-of-life potential. We respond to the demands of performance and scale without compromising on responsible material outcomes.

Future plans

Our next step is to develop multiple boards of ParaFlexfor insulation. These will be shared with material libraries,= & investors across the world. We’re also registering the company in the UK. Our founder is co-authoring a research paper on the material and design process. In parallel, we’re developing an MVP using composite technologies to prototype car parts and consumer electronics casings, demonstrating ParaFlex’s potential in green mobility and product design. We’re actively seeking aligned partners, companies, investors, and institutions, interested in scaling this platform material and shaping the future of sustainable manufacturing.

Awards

Green Concept Award 2025, finalist Earth Award 2025, Green Grads UK Hyundai Award for Excellence in Sustainability and Creative Practice, Innovation Category