Renuka Ramanujam

Scotland-based textile designer and printmaker Renuka Ramanujam came up with the idea for an innovative new material while working in the biomaterials sector five years ago.

As a textile student, she had been shocked by the environmentally destructive materials she encountered. She set her sights on addressing single-use packaging and developed HUID, a material that utilises an abundant source of food waste – onion skins.

She was motivated to move forward with her innovation because it’s not limited to a specific locale or class: onion skins are everywhere. This means that her innovation could potentially be produced everywhere too, democratising access to plastic and pollution-free environments.

Currently in research and development (R&D), Renuka has been testing the material formulation and making adjustments for product development. She’s excited to have the package of support from the Young Innovators Awards for a number of reasons:

“Being a sole founder has been quite challenging and overwhelming. Financially, the Award will alleviate so much stress and allow me to focus on developing the product. Also, building a network with other like-minded Young Innovators is a great opportunity to be able to share with people who can relate to you.”