What do sunscreen, pizza boxes and hotel toiletries have in common? For Hong Kong start-up O-Spheres, they are all opportunities to rethink the materials behind everyday products.
Founded in 2022 by materials scientist Professor Ngai To and his research team, O-Spheres is turning years of research into sustainable commercial applications. Its technologies range from hollow microspheres for personal-care products to water-based coatings used in food packaging and other disposable products.
With US, Chinese and Hong Kong patents under its belt, the firm was recently named one of the 10 winning start-ups in the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s (HKTDC) Start-up Express 2026, an entrepreneurship development programme that helps start-ups build connections and expand globally.
Rethinking sun protection
One of the first applications for O-Spheres’ hollow microsphere technology is sun protection.
Sunscreen filters generally fall into two categories: physical and chemical. Physical sunscreens reflect and scatter ultraviolet rays, while chemical sunscreens absorb them.
Some chemical sunscreen ingredients have come under scrutiny over their impact on marine ecosystems, including coral bleaching, prompting beachgoing destinations such as Hawaii and Palau to ban certain ingredients.
O-Spheres has taken a different approach. Its flagship SunBlocker product incorporates hollow microsphere technology to reconfigure traditional physical filters, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, helping reflect sunrays. The resulting formulation mitigates many common drawbacks of physical sunscreens, including heavy textures and a visible ‘white cast’ often left on the skin.
SunBlocker’s oil-absorbing properties also make it well suited for cosmetic foundations, helping maintain the appearance of make-up throughout the day despite sweat and excess oil.
“Our pure physical, microplastic-free hollow microspheres provide UV protection and can be tailored to the needs of different products, with precision down to the submicron scale, without polluting the environment,” Prof Ngai said.
A leading Korean cosmetics manufacturer has already adopted the technology. Product testing was completed in December and a commercial launch is expected by the end of this year.
Prof Ngai also sees potential to use the technology in functional clothing and flame-retardant materials for the automotive industry, expanding its applications into high-performance, value-added products.
A greener way to package
But personal care is only one potential market for O-Spheres’ materials. The company is also tackling another everyday challenge: how to make paper packaging water- and grease-resistant without relying on plastic films.
The firm has developed an environmentally friendly, bio-based waterborne coating that can be applied directly to paper without affecting its recyclability or how easily it can be broken down into pulp.
The coating is already being used on pizza boxes in Australia and burger wrappers in the Middle East, while a Hong Kong hospitality supplier is using it on disposable paper bags and toiletry packaging.
Future applications could include bio-based adhesives that bind ground seashells into products such as disposable combs and toothbrushes, giving waste materials a new use.
Scaling up
As O-Spheres looks to build on its early commercial traction, the company plans to raise US$5 million (HK$39 million) to expand production capacity, strengthen R&D and boost product competitiveness.
Partnerships will be key to the next phase, with Start-up Express helping connect the company with potential partners through the HKTDC’s worldwide network and international trade fairs. O-Spheres is seeking partners ranging from chemical and paint companies to functional textile and circuit board manufacturers as it targets expansion in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
For O-Spheres, the next opportunity could come from almost anywhere. From sunscreen and pizza boxes to clothing and car parts, the company is only beginning to explore where its materials can go next.