** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ONLINE SALES IN U.S.A. IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO 23.6% OF TOTAL SALES BY 2025, WITH ESTIMATED REVENUE OF $ 1.2 TRILLION, AND AS A RESULT, DEMAND FOR THE PACKAGING MATERIAL IS ALSO INCREASING. CURRENTLY, PACKAGING IS MADE WITH EITHER CARDBOARD OR POLYETHYLENE. THOUGH CARDBOARD IS ECO-FRIENDLY AND SUSTAINABLE, THERE ARE MADE WITH WOOD PULP, LEADING TO DEFORESTATION, WHILE 86% POLYETHYLENE PACKAGING ENDS UP IN LANDFILL. WITH THE GLOBAL PUSH TOWARDS SUSTAINIBLITY, THERE IS A INDUSTRY-DEFINED NEED FOR A SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING MATERIAL THAT IS CURBSIDE-RECYCLABLE/COMPOSTABLE, WHILE GENERATING A LOW-CARBON FOOTPRINT. WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE COMPOSITE PACKAGING MATERIAL USING NON-WOVEN NATURAL FIBER AS REINFORCEMENT MATERIAL AND A WATER SOLUBLE BINDING MATRIX THAT IS HOME-COMPOSTABLE WITH PROPERTIES SUITABLE FOR E-COMMERCE. FLAX AND HEMP FIBERS ARE ABUNDANT, UNDER-UTILIZED AND ARE A BYPRODUCT OF SEED CULTIVATION, BUT POSSESS MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IDEAL FOR PACKAGING. FLAX/HEMP FIBERS WILL USED A REINFORCEMENT FIBER IN A WATER-SOLUBLE MATRIX LIKE POLYVINYL ALCOHOL (PVA) TO FORM A COMPOSITE. TO MAKE THIS COMPOSITE WEATHER-RESISTANT, AN OPTIMUM COATING MATERIAL WILL BE IDENTIFIED AND APPLIED. THE COATED-COMPOSITE WILL BE SUBJECTED TO MECHANICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS TESTS TO PROVE ITS FEASIBILITY IN PACKAGING ENVIRONMENTS. COMPOSITE'S MANUFACTURING SCALABILITY AND ABILITY TO BE FORMED INTO SHAPES RELEVANT TO PACKAGING WILL ALSO BE EVALUATED. SUSTAINABILITY OF COATED-COMPOSITE WILL BE DETERMINED THROUGH COMPOSTABLITY AND CARBON-FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS. RESEARCH FINDINGS ARE EXPECTED TO OFFER FLAX/HEMP FARMERS AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE TURNING WHAT'S CURRENTLY A BYPRODUCT INTO A PROFITABLE COMMODITY, THEREBY SUPPORTING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.