Application News
Application News Headrest covers made with plant-based polyester Toray Industries (Tokyo, Japan) recently announced it has developed a new variety of Ultrasuede nu which partially consists of 100 % plant-based polyester. All Nippon Airways (ANA – Tokyo, Japan) adopted this developed material to the headrest covers in ANA Green Jet, the special aircraft since November this year. These aircrafts will selectively use products and services using sustainable materials to embody the ANA Future Promise, a slogan for that carrier’s commitment to realizing a sustainable society and enhancing corporate value. Ultrasuede nu is a non-woven material for a genuine leather appearance with a base material of Ultrasuede and a special resin treatment applied to its surface. The latest Ultrasuede nu developed by Toray is the first Ultrasuede product which partially consists of 100 % plant-based polyester for the ultra-fine fibres on the surface of the base material. In addition, about 30 % plant-based polyurethane is used inside of the nonwoven structure, and about 30 % plant-based polyester is used in the reinforcement fabric called scrim, making this developed product the world’s highest level of plantbased raw material content for the non-woven material for a genuine leather appearance. ANA decided to adopt Ultrasuede nu because it is an environmentally conscious material that combines luxurious texture, design, and high functionality. MT www.toray.com New solution for thermoformed applications BIOTEC (Emmerich, Germany) proudly announces a new solution, called BIOPLAST 800, for meeting market demands in thermoforming applications, like trays and cups. This new formulation has unique characteristics compared with existing products in the market, as it can provide resistance against boiling water without the necessity of using a hot mould in thermoforming. This new feature enables converters to now produce heat-stable compostable products without changing their hardware, as was the case with previously existing options. Erik Pras (Global Marketing & Sales Director) says, “we have been working on Bioplast 800 for almost two years now and are proud to share that we can make this compound to the market. We have built up experience with more than 1,000 tonnes of finished products in the market, even in challenging applications like drinking cups for coffee, plates, and trays”. Bioplast 800 is suitable for food contact applications and is certified for industrial compostability (EN1432). The current formulation has a biobased carbon content of more than 60 %, in order to comply with legislation in countries like Italy. Upon demand, it will however be possible for Biotec to offer even a 100 % biobased alternative (at a premium). In the upcoming months, various industrial trials with different converters are scheduled, and both brand owners and converters are kindly invited to contact Biotec to explore new possibilities with Bioplast 800. AT www.biotec.de (a) Ultra-fine fibres 100 % plant-based polyester made of ethylene glycol from sugarcane molasses byproducts and dimethyl terephthalate from corn starch. (b) Elastomer, is composed of about 30 % plant-based polyurethane made with polyol from castor oil plant. (c) Scrim, composed of about 30 % plant-based polyester made from ethylene glycol from sugarcane molasses byproducts. 50 bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/22] Vol. 17
Bags for crafted chocolate beads Incorporating sustainability and provenance into branding has been key to changes being made at luxury drinking chocolate manufacturer Cocoa Canopy (Weybridge, UK), with the help of compostable packaging provider Futamura (Wigton, UK). Consistent growth has seen the company move from hand-packing its products into film bags and selling at food and gift fairs, to a new film and automated bagging line that continuously packs the product, ready to stock supermarket shelves. As early adopters of NatureFlex, a cellulose film made by the manufacturer Futamura , Cocoa Canopy’s forward-thinking is getting them noticed within their competitive market – when the company discussed future listings with Waitrose, the leading supermarket was greatly encouraged by Cocoa Canopy’s exploratory approach to alternatives to conventional plastic packaging routes. NatureFlex film handles differently to conventional plastics, so in order to be certain its bagging machinery was compatible with the new substrate, the chocolate specialist worked closely with its suppliers. Ably assisted by engineers from both Futamura and the bagging machinery company, BW Flexibles (Nottingham, UK) a solution was found that enabled Cocoa Canopy to manufacture at speed and meet demand from its growing customer base. Cocoa Canopy is the only UK drinking-chocolate company to offer crafted chocolate beads designed to be melted into milk or water for an in-home experience of luxurious hot chocolate that can be enjoyed anywhere, hot or iced. The company recently re-staged to encompass its values across all platforms: product, packaging, and marketing, all designed to reflect the ethos of the company and provenance of the product. The partnership with Futamura will help Cocoa Canopy achieve its expansion goals – it needed to explore new, automated packaging options as although the UK remains its key market, contacts made in the US show buyers there are increasingly focused on renewables and sustainable packaging. For a start-up or small company, NatureFlex film is an ideal solution, offering reliability, flexibility and on-shelf stability. Futamura has the knowledge and passion to help companies grow, supporting packaging choices that are sustainable and responsible. MT www.natureflex.com/uk | www.cocoacanopy.co.uk Application News World’s first climate-neutral synthetic hockey turf With the 100 % climate-neutral Poligras Paris GT zero, Polytan (Burgheim, Germany) has developed a new and improved successor to its Poligras Tokyo GT, which is used in all leading field hockey nations around the world. Poligras Paris GT zero is the world’s first carbon-neutral synthetic turf and will help the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris meet its self-declared environmental goals while setting new standards in playing quality and environmental friendliness. During the manufacture of the turf fibres, fossil-fuel-based polyethylene is replaced with biobased I’m Green polyethylene by Braskem (São Paulo, Brazil). The material for the carbon-neutral hockey turf is manufactured using a by-product of sugar cane processing in Brazil. In the production process for I’m Green polyethylene, the first two pressings of the sugar cane are used for sugar production. The third – which is no longer useful for this purpose – is used as a raw material for organic polyethylene, which makes up approximately 80 % of Poligras Paris GT zero. This saves around 73 tonnes of CO 2 compared to a conventional synthetic turf. Less water consumption, thanks to Turf Glide A major component in maximising the sustainability of Poligras Paris GT zero is the permanently improved product design, which consumes less water than before. For example, the synthetic turf used at the Olympic Games in Tokyo consumed 39 % less water than the turf used in Rio only four years earlier. Polytan Paris GT zero takes this development even further with the introduction of Turf Glide, a new, patent-protected technology that reduces surface friction so that even less water is needed to reduce friction resistance and minimise the risk of injury. A leap forward in field hockey development Paul Kamphuis, Global Head of the Sport Group’s hockey business summarises: “Having developed turfs for eight Olympic Games, we have seen how the Olympic turf sets the standard for innovation. Poligras Tokyo GT turf, with over 50 installations, was extremely popular and demonstrated that the hockey community is choosing a more sustainable future for their sport. Poligras Paris GT zero takes this commitment to another level. It will make carbon-zero hockey a reality, not just for Paris, but for clubs, colleges and communities all over the world”. MT www.polytan.com | www.braskem.com bioplastics MAGAZINE [06/22] Vol. 17 51
