Vyld, a sustainably-focused German hygiene company, is striving to make a positive environmental impact. Known for their seaweed-based tampons, the company is now working on an ambitious project called Windelwald, or diaper forest. The project aims to use composted diaper waste as a humus fertilizer, transforming used diapers into a valuable resource. Vyld’s diapers feature an algae-based compostable core, which is currently being improved for better absorbency.
Co-founder and CEO Ines Schiller shares their vision, stating, “We plan to commercialize but there is a lot more development needed. We need to find the sweet spot between a 100% compostable product made without any plastics or conventional superabsorbents while retaining the same performance level to convince enough of a broader audience to adopt it.”
Vyld’s initial foray into seaweed-based hygiene products was the Kelpon tampon, which has been in development since 2021. Following a pilot program in German households, the company is preparing for commercial launch. Expanding into baby care, they are currently in the trial stages of designing seaweed-based diapers. To support this endeavor, Vyld has partnered with Goldeimer, a German company dedicated to increasing access to safe sanitation through sustainable sanitation concepts.
Goldeimer has secured land in Germany for the diaper forest, which will serve as a testing ground for analyzing the compostability of Vyld’s diapers and future projects. Schiller highlights the importance of understanding how these products decompose and behave. “There is a lot of different information about compostability. It’s something we need to test.”
To achieve these goals, Vyld has recently closed a seven-figure financing model. This includes funding from the German government, the European Union, and a self-developed sustainable financing instrument called the Future Profit Partnership Agreement (FPA).
