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Plastic Bank

MaterialsVancouver, CanadaFounded 2013· One of 955 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse

Produces blockchain-traceable recycled 'Social Plastic' feedstock and 3D printing filament, converting ocean-bound waste into certified sustainable manufacturing materials.

CEO / Founder
David Katz
Team Size
201-500
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$14M
Latest Round
Venture Round
Key Investors
Unattributed

Technology & Products

Key Products

Blockchain-traceable recycled 'Social Plastic' feedstock and 3D printing filament.

Technological Advantage

CLAIMED: Proprietary blockchain platform ensures audit-ready traceability, prevents double-counting of plastic credits, and enables real-time impact reporting. VERIFIED: Enterprise integrations with IBM, Henkel, and SC Johnson validate the platform's compliance and supply chain reliability. DEFENSIBLE: High switching costs due to established collection networks in 6+ countries, proprietary digital token ecosystem, and verified ESG certification that competitors cannot easily replicate without similar ground-level infrastructure.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Reduces virgin plastic procurement costs while providing auditable ESG compliance and plastic neutrality credits, turning corporate sustainability mandates into a verified, scalable supply chain advantage.

How They Differentiate

Unlike traditional recycled filament producers that compete primarily on material specs and price, Plastic Bank integrates a verified social impact layer and enterprise-grade blockchain traceability, enabling corporate partners to meet EPR/ESG mandates while sourcing certified recycled feedstock at industrial scale.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Consumer goods brands, packaging manufacturers, and additive manufacturing companies seeking certified recycled polymer feedstock and ESG-compliant supply chains.

Industry Verticals

Additive Manufacturing; Consumer Packaged Goods; Packaging; Sustainability & ESG

Competitors

Refil; 3D-Fuel; Filamentive

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Collected over 8.1 billion plastic bottles; 11 million kg of ocean-bound plastic recovered; ~189 employees across 6 continents; operations in 6 countries.

Major Milestones

Founded in 2013 by David Katz and Shaun Frankson; Launched Social Plastic® blockchain traceability platform (2016); Surpassed 8.1 billion bottles collected (2024); Expanded collection and processing operations to 6 countries across Asia, South America, Africa, and North America

Notable Customers

Henkel; SC Johnson; Google; IBM; Ocean Bottle

https://plasticbank.com

Why this company matters

Plastic Bank occupies a distinct position at the intersection of additive manufacturing materials and corporate ESG procurement. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Vancouver, the company produces recycled polymer feedstock and filament from ocean-bound waste, differentiated by a blockchain-based traceability system that provides audit-ready proof of origin and impact. This model allows consumer goods brands, packaging manufacturers, and AM companies to replace virgin plastic with certified recycled material while generating verifiable plastic neutrality credits.

The core technology is a proprietary blockchain platform that tracks material from waste collection through processing to final sale, preventing double-counting and enabling real-time impact reporting. The output includes Social Plastic granules and 3D printing filament suitable for material extrusion (MEX) processes. Enterprise integrations with IBM, Henkel, and SC Johnson validate the platform's compliance and supply chain reliability, and the company reports having collected over 8.1 billion bottles across six countries.

Plastic Bank's strategic moat lies in its established collection infrastructure in six countries, a proprietary digital token ecosystem, and verified ESG certifications that competitors such as Refil, 3D-Fuel, and Filamentive cannot easily replicate without similar ground-level operations. The dual social and environmental impact model—monetizing waste collection to lift communities out of poverty—creates switching costs for corporate partners meeting extended producer responsibility (EPR) and ESG mandates. An open question is whether the company can scale collection and processing capacity to meet growing demand from industrial AM users without diluting traceability or impact verification.

With approximately 189 employees and operations across six continents, Plastic Bank has raised $14 million in disclosed funding. Its partnerships with Google, Ocean Bottle, and Dr. Brown's, alongside the enterprise deployments with IBM and Henkel, position it as a leading sustainable AM materials supplier with verified ESG impact, though the additive manufacturing segment remains a smaller share of its overall recycled polymer business.