Every year in New Orleans, bright and flashy beads arc through the air in a radiant rainbow of plastic—a carnival tradition that began in the 1970s. The beads are as iconic to Mardi Gras as jazz is to Bourbon Street. Families stand on curbsides waving their arms, calling for throws. Parade floats rumble by with costumed revelers who fling those glimmering loops into the crowd. But behind the confetti and the laughter lies a sobering truth: An estimated 25 million pounds of beads arrive in the city annually. And once the celebrations end, most beads either clog local drainage systems or wind up in landfills, posing environmental and public health concerns.
In 2018, workers discovered 93,000 pounds of beads choking just five city blocks of New Orleans drains. “Once you hear a number like that, there’s no going back. So we’ve got to do better,” said Dani Galloway, interim director of the city’s Department of Public Works, in a press conference covered by NOLA.com. The sheer volume pulled from storm drains underscores just how deeply ingrained this colorful tradition has become—and how far-reaching its environmental toll really is.
Yet, in a corner of the Louisiana State University campus, a determined group of researchers is flipping the script on the plastic-bead status quo. Their work hinges on a deceptively simple concept: Create Mardi Gras beads from biodegradable materials so that they don’t pile up in landfills. Even better? These biobeads can literally plant seeds for the future.
The Problem With Plastic Beads
Picture a typical Mardi Gras parade. A burst of brass music, flamboyant costumes, beaming faces. All around, plastic beads spin through the air like neon comets. For many, catching a necklace is an instant thrill. But these beads don’t vanish once the party ends.
Most of them are petroleum-based and can contain potentially hazardous materials, including lead. In addition to creating massive amounts of plastic waste, the beads’ toxic dust can expose people—especially children—to lead residue.
The burden falls heavily on New Orleans’ drainage system. City workers spend countless hours and millions of dollars clearing out clogged drains after the season’s parades. And even with dedicated cleanup efforts, microplastic fragments slip through and eventually travel into waterways. These microplastics pose serious hazards to marine life, potentially entering the human food chain.
Sparking a Green Revolution
Aware of the mounting environmental consequences, parade krewes, city officials, and volunteers have tried multiple approaches: from designated recycling boxes to new float rules that discourage over-the-top bead throwing. While these steps help, the reality is that the demand for beads hasn’t diminished. The cultural allure of Mardi Gras includes those flying strands, which revelers love to grab by the handful.
That’s where a cross-disciplinary team at Louisiana State University (LSU) comes in. Led initially by biological sciences professor Naohiro Kato, they embarked on a mission to engineer biodegradable beads that could step seamlessly into the spotlight. In 2022, they introduced a small batch of these innovative throws—500 strands—to test feasibility, cost, and public response.
“I am a big supporter of more sustainable Mardi Gras celebrations. We can still celebrate, but we don’t need to throw plastic materials,”
—Prof. Naohiro Kato, in an official LSU news release.
The idea behind their early prototypes was to use microalgae—tiny organisms grown in a large tank on LSU’s campus—and process the algae into a powder. This powder was then combined with a bio-based, compostable plastic and molded into beads. Each strand was strung together with hemp thread, eliminating yet another layer of non-biodegradable materials.
Within two years, these algae-derived beads, when placed in soil, begin decomposing—slowly returning their biomass to the earth. For the krewes willing to toss them, these “algae beads” were a premium throw, costing far more than their plastic cousins. But the initial experiment—funded in part by LSU’s Leveraging Innovation for Technology Transfer (LIFT2) grant—proved that an alternative could exist. The big question was how to drive costs down, scale up production, and keep them just as fun to fling.
PlantMe Beads: The Next Evolution
In an inspiring twist, graduate student Alexis Strain and her colleagues at LSU developed a new and improved variation of these biobeads that did more than degrade—they planted seeds. Aptly named “PlantMe Beads,” each bead encloses a seed in its shell. Once the material begins to break down in the soil, the seed is released, sprouting into a small plant or flower.
“These sounds you hear are seeds inside of the beads, so this will allow plants and flowers to essentially come out of these Mardi Gras beads,”
—Alexis Strain told KPLC News during a demonstration.
The process behind this eco-friendly twist is as imaginative as it is practical. According to the team, the seeds-in-beads concept tackles one of the biggest criticisms of single-use items: Why create something that’s just going to vanish? With PlantMe Beads, the ephemeral nature of Mardi Gras traditions literally gives way to new life in the soil. This approach offers an educational bridge, raising awareness about everyday consumer choices and their environmental footprint.
3D Printing, Local Production, and a Cultural Shift
Spurred by positive reception and curiosity from parade-goers, Kato and Strain decided to streamline production through 3D printing. This shift allows greater customization and could significantly bring down manufacturing costs over time. In August 2024, they unveiled two new prototypes—one from a corn-based material, the other from bacteria-based compounds that degrade fully in about three months.
Their broader vision is to share 3D printing files open source, so anyone with a home or community printer can create and distribute biodegradable beads. Instead of shipping thousands of plastic beads from overseas, local makers could become micro-producers of Mardi Gras throws. This hyperlocal model fosters economic growth in the area and shrinks the carbon footprint tied to shipping conventional plastic beads from factories in China.
“We plan to mass-produce the beads so that krewes can purchase them at a competitive price comparable to conventional petroleum-based beads. … We hope to inspire paradegoers to think about the sustainability of Mardi Gras.”
—Prof. Naohiro Kato, via Nice News email interview
They’ve caught the eye of parade organizers like the Krewe of Freret and the Krewe of Tucks, whose members see these innovative strands as the future. Greg Rhoades, co-founder of the Krewe of Freret, expressed support early on:
“Like any new technology, this biobead represents the future. It’s important we help shape the perception that we can do better when it comes to waste and environmental impact, especially surrounding Mardi Gras.”
With each new test run, the beads gain traction. The ultimate goal, Kato and his students note, isn’t merely to replace plastic but also to nudge a cultural shift. Decades ago, Mardi Gras beads were treasured keepsakes—originally made from glass and often preserved like precious heirlooms. Over time, the cheap plastic version changed the throw-and-go dynamic, turning bead-catching into a “grab as many as you can” frenzy. Kato points out that maybe it’s time to realign with those older values:
“Historically, Mardi Gras beads were made out of glass, handed out and people would keep them because they were very precious and beautiful. … Maybe we need to produce more precious items each year that aren’t thrown away.”
—Prof. Naohiro Kato, 2022 RELEase
The Bigger Picture: Algae as a Bioplastic Pioneer
The LSU team’s biodegradable beads fit into a larger conversation about algae-based bioplastics. Worldwide, plastic production nears 360 million metric tons per year (European Bioplastics), much of which ends up littering oceans, impacting wildlife, and leaching toxins into food systems. Researchers globally are exploring microalgae to produce renewable, compostable plastics that mimic petrochemical-based polymers but leave no permanent trace.
In a recent review published in the journal Algal Research, scientists noted algae’s unique ability to break down plastic contaminants in some conditions and to serve as a raw material for new types of eco-friendly plastics—just as Kato’s group has demonstrated. These algae-based plastics, if scaled up, can reduce fossil fuel consumption, curb carbon emissions, and potentially degrade into harmless components or even beneficial soil amendments.
Successes, Setbacks, and the Road Ahead
Shifting from an idea in a lab to a full-scale commercial operation, however, is no small feat. Biobead prototypes have, until recently, cost significantly more to produce than their plastic counterparts—around $5 per strand for the earliest batches, compared to a few cents for conventional bead necklaces (LSU press release). By optimizing algae-growing techniques, partnering with local businesses for manufacturing, and tapping into economies of scale, the researchers hope to lower costs to $0.20–$0.50 per strand.
Furthermore, public perception is a critical factor. Will Mardi Gras enthusiasts embrace these newfangled beads, or will old habits keep them fixated on cheap plastic freebies? Early signs are hopeful: multiple krewes have praised the biodegradable beads as a “premium, memorable throw,” and parade-goers who caught them often decided to keep these special strands instead of tossing them away.
Meanwhile, city officials are beginning to see biodegradable beads as part of a larger waste-reduction strategy. Year after year, the burden of removing plastic litter from clogged drains, parks, and surrounding wetlands grows. Galloway and other local leaders advocate for new policies—like installing temporary gutter buddies that block bead-sized trash or working with krewes to curb the overall volume of plastic throws. The fact that LSU-based solutions are “homegrown” resonates with many in the community, who want to protect the wetlands and wildlife that make Louisiana a unique place to live.
How You Can Help
Here are some ways you can support this shift toward a cleaner, greener Mardi Gras:
- Donate Used Beads: Organizations like Arc of Greater New Orleans recycle and resell donated beads, reducing plastic waste and raising funds to support their disability services. Audubon Nature Institute and some local businesses also set up collection bins—check local listings for the latest drop-off points.
- Try Biodegradable or Specialty Throws: If you ride with a krewe, consider purchasing more eco-friendly throws. Watch for local availability of the PlantMe Beads or other compostable items.
- Start Conversations: Spread the word about algae-based bioplastics and the hidden impact of plastic waste at Mardi Gras. Many people toss beads without a second thought; sharing these stories can spark mindful celebration.
- Volunteer for Cleanup Efforts: Whether you’re a local or a visitor, joining a post-parade cleanup crew is a direct way to help. Every discarded bead you remove from a storm drain is a step toward protecting waterways and wildlife.
- Support Research and Innovation: Advocate for public policy and grants that fund university-led initiatives like the LSU project. Innovators thrive when they receive the community’s financial and moral support.
Toward a More Sustainable Celebration
For many, Mardi Gras is woven into the cultural fabric of New Orleans. It’s a celebration of life, community, and tradition. Yet traditions can evolve. As LSU’s biodegradable bead initiative shows, it’s possible to honor the spirit of Mardi Gras—the music, costumes, and revelry—without sacrificing the city’s environment or contributing to a global plastics problem.
By weaving algae-based science into the heart of Carnival, the city is tapping into something timeless: from the abundant wetlands to the region’s centuries-old love for lively, communal festivities, there’s a natural synergy between people, environment, and tradition. “Let the good times roll” doesn’t have to mean “Let plastic pile up.”
With continued research, local partnerships, and enthusiastic revelers willing to try something new, the future of Mardi Gras could be one where beads are seeds—sparking new life rather than creating more waste. As the LSU team and its community partners prove, hope can sprout from the most unexpected places—even from inside a single, jingly, seed-filled strand of beads.
In a city famous for transformations—turning adversity into resilience, sorrow into jazz, and streets into parades—this push toward biodegradable beads feels like a natural evolution. It invites all of us to toss up a cheerful, heartfelt “Woohoo!” when we see that iconic purple-green-gold twinkle in the streets—knowing we’re celebrating a tradition that’s not just vibrant and fun, but also thoughtful, sustainable, and brimming with life for the future.