Natural product –
Natural product – natural packaging If you’re selling fresh produce, why not choose a straight-from-nature packaging! biophan is a fully biodegradable product made from starch, which micro-organisms convert into CO2 and H2O during composting. biophan is not only naturally biodegradable, it also has outstanding packaging qualities. When wrapped in breathable biophan, fresh produce stays fresh longer and the packaging’s crackling sound enhances the freshness impression. biophan’s high gloss and transparency also add to the appeal of fresh produce. Back-to-nature packaging with big benefits for your produce! We’re part of your product www.biophanfilms.com
Editorial dear readers When talking about bioplastics, most people immediately think of biobased and/or biodegradable packaging. This is quite understandable, as most examples currently reported in the press and available in the market are of packaging applications. However, other industries are also carefully evaluating bioplastics, or even using them already. The automotive industry, for example, uses a huge amount of plastics. In 2005, in Western Europe alone, 2.5 million tonnes of plastics went into automotive applications. Today almost every car manufacturer sees environmental responsibility and sustainability as important aspects of their industry, and as a result the automotive industry - the OEMs and their suppliers - is not only interested in bioplastics, but an increasing number of companies are evaluating the use of new, ecologically sound materials. Some are using bioplastics already. That’s why bioplastics MAGAZINE has a special editorial focus in this issue, highlighting the first positive steps, from resins through tyres to series production applications. Our cover photo shows a 270 PS biodiesel racing car that has a body made from linseed oil acrylate reinforced with flax fibre – demonstrating that the use of renewable resources in the automotive industry, even today, can go far beyond conventional fibre-reinforced parts such as inner door trim, rear shelves or spare wheel covers. For all of these automotive applications biodegradability or compostability is not, at this stage, the most important aspect. The fact that the materials come from renewable resources, their positive effect on the climate, and a reduced dependency on crude oil, are much more important right now. Biodiesel racing car made of linseed oil acrylate | 10 01 | 2007 Vol. 2 ISSN 1862-5258 But there is more to talk about than cars, and this issue also covers new materials and applications in nonautomotive markets, as well as articles about basics, logos, events, and hopefully everything else you’d expect from magazine like this. Michael Thielen Publisher bioplastics magazine Bioplastics in Automotive Applications | 10 How much „bio“ is in there? | 15 bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/07] Vol. 2
