From Global MedTech to a Lifelong Passion to Solve Plastic Pollution

By Simona Paganetto, Founder of I’m Plastic Free

How I’m Plastic Free was born

In 2013 Simona Paganetto left a promising career in the global MedTech industry to migrate to Australia and join her husband. She was living in the Whitsundays in Airlie Beach, Queensland, and volunteering for beach clean-ups for a local environmental organisation called Eco Barge Clean Seas in 2014 when she witnessed first-hand the huge amount of plastic in our oceans and its impact on marine life. Before that, she thought this problem was mainly confined to developing countries that didn’t have a solid waste management system, but after doing some research she quickly realised that it was a problem of the whole world at a time when there wasn’t much publicity in the mainstream media. So, she decided to do something about it… and a few years, a child, and a relocation later (the family moved from Queensland to the Northern Territory), she finally founded I’m Plastic Free in 2018.

It hasn’t all been “smooth sailing” … 

It hasn’t all been “smooth sailing” for Simona, however. Initially, she started her social enterprise by selling eco-friendly straws to the local hospitality operators but due to her regional location, she couldn’t compete with larger companies and warehouses around the country that delivered similar products to Darwin. So, she had the idea of developing a 3^rd party vendor e-commerce marketplace connecting eco-conscious consumers to sustainable vendors, like a mini-Etsy or eBay for plastic-free & recycled products only. However, the timing wasn’t in her favour as she launched it in the middle of a global pandemic, plus there were challenges again around the logistics side of the start-up.

A story of resilience: re-launching as a “matchmaking” platform

Simona was nearly about to give up on her vision, when she met a web expert who advised her to pivot the site into an educational & information hub focused on solutions and linked to the affiliate marketing business model. So, I’m Plastic Free was re-born in 2022.

Today, I’m Plastic Free is a “matchmaking” digital platform for plastic waste reduction. It connects eco- and health-conscious consumers with plastic alternatives. In fact, it provides the easiest and fastest way to find such solutions.

Whether it’s bedding made of organic natural fibres, non-toxic cookware, refillable soap, or compostable underwear, the platform makes it easy to choose sustainable options:

• Discover innovative ways to reduce plastic waste.
• Find plastic-free alternatives made from regenerative materials.
• Reduce micro-plastic exposure risks.
• Stay informed about industry changes and developments.
• Connect with eco-conscious brands making a difference.

Over 100 blog articles have been published on the platform, all research-based and linked to studies published in peer-reviewed journals, particularly articles related to microplastics and human health.

The platform reaches a global audience, currently serving 312,000 organic users and generating close to half a million organic page views annually, with rapid growth continuing.

So, what are “solutions to plastic pollution”?

Most people don’t know that there are common household consumer products like dishwashing powder or laundry tablets that only need warm water to be activated.

Or beauty products like face cleansers in powder form, which again, only need water to be activated.

Such products are solutions to plastic pollution for many reasons:

1. They are low carbon, as they have very little weight which plays a role during transportation, as water makes up 90% of cleaning products, as an example.
2. The products contain only natural clean ingredients, so they’re non-toxic.
3. The packaging is plastic-free as such innovative products are packaged in certified home-compostable sachets. They are refills and you keep the “forever” container, with no waste.

These are only a few examples of innovative solutions to plastic waste, but many people don’t know that they exist. Some people spend hours googling for solutions… others don’t even know where to start….

“I’m Plastic Free” solves this problem by doing the research for them, testing many products for them, and ensuring only the solutions that meet the criteria are listed and promoted.