04

ioplastics magazine Vol. 3 ISSN 1862-5258 

Review interpack 2008 

‘Bioplastics in Packaging’ 

Special editorial focus: 

Fibres, Textiles, 

Nonwovens 

Bioplastics in Consumer 

Electronics 

04 | 2008

Cereplast resins are bio-based. 

The result is a truly sustainable 

solution: environmentally sound, 

economically viable and socially 

acceptable. 

made from renewable resources 

Cereplast is proud to announce 

the grand opening of 

CEREPLAST 

EUROPE 

securing a stable cost 

41/41 bis avenue de l’Europe 

BP 264 

78147 VELIZY CEDEX 

France 

Telephone : +33 (0)1 34 63 06 66 

Fax : +33 (0)1 34 63 06 99 

www.cereplast.com 

Cereplast Hybrid Resins 

Cereplast Hybrid Resins products are bio-based, replacing 

50% or more of the petroleum content in traditional plastic 

products with materials from renewable sources. Cereplast 

Hybrid Resins products are cost-competitive with traditional 

petroleum-based plastic resin. With significantly more of the 

resin content derived from starches, the pricing of Cereplast 

Hybrid Resins products is not as influenced by the volatile 

price of oil. 

moving towards a sustainable future 

Cereplast Compostables 

Cereplast Compostables resins are renewable, ecologically 

sound substitutes for petroleum-based plastic products, 

replacing nearly 100% of the petroleum-based additives used in 

traditional plastics with renewable resources. All Cereplast 

Compostables resins are certified as biodegradable and 

compostable in the United States and Europe, meeting BPI 

(Biodegradable Products Institute) standards for compostability 

(ASTM 6400 D99 and ASTM 6868), and European Bioplastics 

standards (EN 13432).

Editorial 

dear 

My son Philipp supported the 

team of bioplastics MAGAZINE 

during interpack 2008 

readers 

It’s been quite a long time since our last issue, but after interpack, 

which I think is one of the most important events for this industry, 

we had to take a breath. 

Now we’re back with a new issue. After the comprehensive show 

preview in the last issue we now cover interpack 2008 with just a 

brief review of some of the newly launched products. 

One of the editorial focuses in this issue is “Bioplastics in fibre / 

textile applications”. It is amazing to see how many products, quite 

remote from packaging, are already available. The same is true for 

the second major topic: “Consumer Electronics”. 

Before I close, I’d like to comment on a recent experience: Trying 

to be a modern and responsible consumer, I usually look for 

products packaged in bioplastics. In Germany the seedling logo 

(see bM 01/2006) helps me to identify such products. However 

just recently, I found a product with a seedling logo on the 

label, but the clamshell was made from PET. Obviously, the 

label was certified ‘compostable’, but used for a conventional 

clamshell. And when looking closer I found a few more of 

such products wrapped in LDPE, BO-PP or PET – whereas 

the label always indicating ‘compostable’. Such a thing 

can happen, especially when for example converting from 

one packaging material to another. However, I think the 

bioplastics industry should be very careful and make sure 

that only packaging materials that are really – and in all 

parts – compostable are labelled with a compostable logo. 

Otherwise consumers might become confused and and 

as a consequence, acceptance of the new, wanted-by-all 

packaging would suffer. 

Comments, suggestions and contributions are always 

welcome. I hope you enjoy reading this issue of bioplastics 

MAGAZINE. 

Yours, 

Michael Thielen 

Publisher 

Cover: Ingeo Wedding Dress by 

Gattinoni (Photo courtesy Gattinoni) 

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/08] Vol. 3

Content 

Materials 

Nano-Alloy Technology for High- 10 

Performance PLA Applications 

Bottle Applications 

Pure, Light, Mountain Water - Bottled in Ingeo 12 

Australia’s First Natural Spring 14 

Water in PLA Bottles 

Not only Celebrities like New Zealand’s 16 

PLA-bottled “Good Water” 

Closures made from bio-plastics 18 

Primo Water offer Mineral enriched 20 

Water in PLA bottles 

Bio-Bottle Meets Private Label Water 22 

“EcoSield” PLA bottles 24 

Impact of Dry and Wet 26 

Sterilisation on PLA Bottles 

July 04|2008 

Editorial 03 

News 05 

Suppliers Guide 44 

Event Calendar 35 

Interpack Review 

Bioplastics in Packaging: 08 

The Big Crowd Puller at interpack 

Events Preview 

1st PLA World Congress 10 

Innovation Takes Root 12 

3rd European Bioplastics Conference 12 

Applications 

Real World Solutions 14 

Basics 

Glossary 

4 

Impressum 

Publisher / Editorial 

Dr. Michael Thielen 

Samuel Brangenberg 

Philipp Thielen, Contributing Editor 

Layout/Production 

Mark Speckenbach, Jörg Neufert 

Head Office 

Polymedia Publisher GmbH 

Dammer Str. 112 

41066 Mönchengladbach, Germany 

phone: +49 (0)2161 664864 

fax: +49 (0)2161 631045 

info@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

www.bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Media Adviser 

Elke Schulte, Katrin Stein 

phone: +49(0)2359-2996-0 

fax: +49(0)2359-2996-10 

es@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Print 

Tölkes Druck + Medien GmbH 

Höffgeshofweg 12 

47807 Krefeld, Germany 

Print run: 4,000 copies 

bioplastics magazine 

ISSN 1862-5258 

bioplastics magazine is published 

6 times a year. 

This publication is sent to qualified 

subscribers (149 Euro for 6 issues). 

bioplastics MAGAZINE is read 

in more than 80 countries. 

Not to be reproduced in any form 

without permission from the publisher 

The fact that product names may not 

be identified in our editorial as trade 

marks is not an indication that such 

names are not registered trade marks. 

bioplastics MAGAZINE tries to use British 

spelling. However, in articles based on 

information from the USA, American 

spelling may also be used. 

Editorial contributions are always 

welcome. Please contact the 

editorial office via 

mt@bioplasticsmagazine.com. 


News 

Cereplast Materials 

Meet Federal 

‘BioPreferred‘ 

Procurement 

Requirements 

Uhde Inventa-Fischer 

Awarded Contract 

for New BASF 

Ecoflex Facility 

Products made from Cereplast Compostables ® resins 

meet the new US federal procurement guidelines for biobased 

content, as recently announced by the Hawthorne, 

California based company Cereplast Inc. These guidelines 

were enacted in mid June by the United States Department of 

Agriculture. All companies using Cereplast Compostables 

resins can be listed on the USDA ‘BioPreferred’ web site. 

‘BioPreferred’ products are given preference by the U.S. 

General Services Administration (GSA), the purchasing 

agent responsible for billions of dollars in products which 

are supplied to various federal agencies. 

Companies looking to develop “BioPreferred” products 

can turn to Cereplast as a solutions provider for a wide 

range of plastic products, especially those targeted at food 

service applications such as plastic straws, utensils, cups, 

bags and containers. 

“This is the culmination of many years of proactive work 

to improve access of federal agencies to sustainable goods, 

and we’re looking forward to helping our customers develop 

new bio-based products for inclusion in the ‘BioPreferred’ 

program,” said Frederic Scheer, chairman and CEO of 

Cereplast. “Practically speaking, this means that federal 

agencies are now required to use bio-based products for 

their food service ware supplies, and we see this as a great 

opportunity for our customers to expand the reach of their 

‘green’ sales.” 

Scheer added, “With this new regulation, the federal 

government is making a strong commitment to enhance the 

use of bioplastics which should result in additional demand 

for Compostables resin from our converter customers.” 

Products from Cereplast’s consumer products division, 

Nat-Ur, are already categorized as “BioPreferred” on 

the USDA web site. Additional products made from 

Cereplast Compostables plastic resin by existing Cereplast 

converters such as Genpak, Innoware and Alcoa will be 

posted shortly. 

www.cereplast.com. 

www.biopreferred.gov 

BASF SE has announced plans for a significant 

expansion of its production plant for the biodegradable 

plastic Ecoflex ® at the company’s Ludwigshafen site. 

The move will raise Ecoflex production capacities from 

the current 14,000 to 60,000 metric tons per year. 

Production at the expanded plant will commence in the 

third quarter of 2010. 

The company has awarded a contract to engineer and 

supply its proprietary 2 Reactor process for the project 

to Uhde Inventa-Fischer. 

Uhde Inventa-Fischer’s scope of supplies and services 

comprises the basic and detail engineering, supply of 

equipment, construction supervision and commissioning 

supervision and training of the operating personnel. 

The excellent performance of the Uhde Inventa- 

Fischer 2R process for this sustainable plastic has been 

demonstrated in Uhde Inventa-Fischer’s pilot facilities 

in Berlin, which can demonstrate all Polyesters and PLA 

technologies. 

Ecoflex is a petrochemicals-based plastic which 

has the properties of conventional polyethylene but is 

fully biodegradable in accordance with DIN EN 13432 

requirements. 

At the same time, BASF plans to increase production 

capacity of the compounding facility in Ludwigshafen 

where the newly developed product Ecovio ® is 

manufactured. Ecovio, a derivative of Ecoflex, contains 

45 percent by weight of the renewable raw material 

polylactic acid (PLA). The PLA content means Ecovio 

is not only biodegradable but also largely biobased. 

Polylactic acid is a material obtained from corn (maize). 

The materials are used to make carrier bags, 

compostable can liners, mulch film, food wrapping, and 

for other applications. Both properties – biodegradability 

and a high renewable raw material content – are 

increasingly sought after in the competitive global 

materials market. 

www.basf.com 

www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com 


News 

Animal Protein Waste 

Turned into Bioplastic 

A process developed at the University of Waikato , New 

Zealand will allow animal waste to be turned into useful and 

biodegradable plastic. 

The new process, developed over two years by University of 

Waikato chemical engineer Dr Johan Verbeek and Masters 

student Lisa van den Berg, can turn animal protein waste 

like blood meal and feathers into a polymer using industrystandard 

plastic extrusion and injection moulding machinery. 

The material has the strength of polyethylene but it‘s fully 

biodegradable, as stated by Dr. Verbeek. 

“Proteins are polymers so we know they can be turned into 

plastics,“ Dr Verbeek said. “Plant proteins have successfully 

been used to make bioplastics, but animal protein has always 

ended up gumming up the extruder. The process we‘ve 

developed gets round that problem. People said it couldn‘t be 

done, but we did it!“ 

Dr Verbeek expected the bioplastic would be suitable for 

agricultural plastic sheeting, seedling trays, plant pots and 

even biodegradable golf tees, for which, he said there was a 

surprisingly high demand. 

Plantic Wins PACIA 

Sustainability Award 

Plantic Technologies Ltd., Australian manufacturer 

of biodegradable packaging and materials, has been 

selected as the winner of this year’s PACIA Sustainability 

(Plastics) Award. 

Each year, PACIA awards outstanding performance in 

Health and Safety, Environment and Sustainability through 

the PACIA Awards Program. In winning this award, Plantic 

was recognised for its contribution to environmental 

protection and conservation of natural resources, its 

contribution to society, and its employee, community and 

stakeholder engagement. 

In terms of sustainability, Plantic’s “environmentally 

friendly” R1 product is fully biodegradable; home 

compostable; and compostable (EN 13432, ASTM 6400), 

water dispersible and made from non-GM high amylose 

corn starch. Plantic ® sheet has the lowest absolute energy 

consumption across the entire lifecycle of the material. Life 

Cycle Assessments of Plantic indicate that the total amount 

of energy consumed for the production of 1000 Plantic 

trays is about half that of petrochemically derived plastics. 

www.plantic.com.au, www.pacia.org.au 

www.waikato.ac.nz 

Nokia Will Launch 40 

Mobile Phones with Biodegradable 

Components 

Nokia is planning to launch around 40 new ‘green’ 

mobile phones this year — each comprising biodegradable 

components that can be easily recycled. 

In markets like the US, Nokia encloses a pre-addressed, 

postage-paid envelope in sales packs, providing customers an 

easy method for returning used products for recycling, at no 

cost to them. The consumer simply places the contents in the 

bag and then puts it in their mailbox. 

Nokia India is evaluating similar refurbishment processes, 

as stated by D. Shivakumar, VP and managing director, Nokia 

India. India is the second-largest telecom market. 

Nokia uses bioplastics, such as polylactide (PLA) with plant 

or other biomass-based modifiers that help reduce the use of 

non-renewable materials. 

Elastomers based on biomaterials can be used as rubberlike 

materials to seal off the battery case. 

www.nokia.com 

Mazda Develops 

Non-Food-Bioplastic 

Mazda Motor Corporation recently signed a collaborative 

research agreement with Hiroshima University to launch 

the ‘Mazda Bioplastic Project.’ The project aim is to develop 

a bioplastic from non-food-based cellulosic biomass and 

have it ready for use in vehicles by 2013. 

The bioplastic being developed will not consume food 

resources because it will be made from cellulosic biomass 

produced from inedible vegetation such as plant waste and 

wood shavings. Furthermore, because cellulosic biomass is 

plant-derived and therefore carbon neutral, the bioplastic 

will reduce reliance on limited fossil fuel resources and 

alleviate carbon dioxide emissions. 

The project will focus on designing a production process 

for an extremely versatile polypropylene, appropriate for 

extensive use in vehicles, by first converting cellulosic 

biomass to ethanol, and then investigating various mixtures 

of ethylene and propylene. The polypropylene must have 

sufficient heat resistance, strength and durability to be used 

in vehicle bumpers and instrument panels. The project will 

also seek to optimize the manufacturing process for the 

bioplastic so that it is eco-friendly and cost-effective. 

www.mazda.com 


News 

Australia’s Biograde Ltd. to Supply 

2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games 

with Biodegradable Packaging 

Australian company Biograde Ltd. announced that it has 

been appointed the exclusive supplier of biodegradable 

packaging to the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic 

Games. This biodegradable packaging contract was awarded 

by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the 

XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) and will involve the supply of seven 

different bag formats. 

Selection of biodegradable packaging is in line with the 

‘Green Materials, Green Olympics’ strategy declared by 

BOCOG, which committed to use environmentally friendly 

packaging materials at the Beijing 2008 Olympic and 

Paralympic Games. BOCOG appointed the Beijing Advanced 

Material Development Centre to select the Olympic supplier 

from among the top global producers of biodegradable 

packaging derived from renewable sources. 

Biograde managing director Dr Frank Glatz said the contract 

was won by the superior performance of the company’s resin, 

which meets stringent European compostability standard 

EN13432, and its effective supply capability through Biograde’s 

local manufacturing plant in Nanjing, China. “The Biograde 

range of renewable hybrid resins and certified biodegradable 

resins also meet new Chinese packaging regulations enacted 

1 June 2008 and our Nanjing manufacturing business is one 

of the few Chinese companies awarded with the prestigious 

China Environmental Label,” said Dr Frank Glatz. “A key 

element of the Beijing Advanced Material Development 

Centre selection process was the plan to use the Olympic 

packaging supply project as a national case study to promote 

sustainable packaging materials across China. Biograde 

products more than meet these criteria”, Dr Glatz said. 

Biograde materials are based on renewable raw materials, 

namely cornstarch. 

www.biograde.com.au 

Principia Partners Announces... 

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“Bioplastics in Packaging: 

Crowd puller 

From 24th to 30th April 2008, the bioplastics group exhibition 

‘Bioplastics in Packaging’ attracted scores of visitors and got 

top marks from exhibitors and visitors. 96 percent of the participating 

companies were very satisfied and have already indicated 

their intention to exhibit at the next interpack in three years’ time. 

Organised by industry association European Bioplastics in collaboration 

with the Messe Duesseldorf the special ‘Bioplastics in Packaging‘ 

exhibition was a great success. 40 exhibitors filled the 1000 

m 2 exhibition space to showcase raw materials, semi-finished products, 

products, processes, equipment and services using bioplastics 

technology. 96 percent of the exhibitors surveyed, were satisfied 

with the trade show. 

The exhibition space increased more than threefold compared to 

the last interpack in 2005, and the number of visitors nearly doubled. 

Visitor interest in the special exhibition was enormous. Harald 

Kaeb, Chairman of the industry association European Bioplastics 

emphasised this, saying “We are delighted with the strong positive 

response to our exhibition. Visitors virtually beat a path to our door! 

We also noted a lively interest from the press and for the supporting 

programme with specialist talks on bioplastics. Our exhibitors were 

very happy and have yet confirmed their participation in the next interpack.“ 

The special show already was sold out in September 2007. 

New product launches 

In the last issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE a comprehensive overview 

about all exhibiting companies was published. That is why here just a 

few review-topics are presented. These cover some of the new products 

that were launched during interpack. 

Mondi AG 

At interpack the Mondi business units 

Coating & Release and Consumer Flexbiles 

launched a portfolio of innovative biodegradable 

packaging solutions under the brand name 

Sustainex. In particular, Mondi Consumer 

Flexibles launched a blown film for form-filland-seal 

applications. The film is made from 

biopolymers based on vegetable oils. It has 

outstanding print and mechanical properties 

such as strength, impact and shear resistance. 

Sustainex films feature double sided 

heat sealability, allowing overlapping as well 

as fin seals. The field of potential applications 

is broad due to its visual characteristics similar 

to conventional plastic film. 

Under the brandname Sustainex, Mondi 

Coating and Release also offer sustainable 

extrusion coated and laminated packaging 

materials that use biopolymers. During the extrusion 

coating process, the biopolymer melt 

is applied as a functional coating to a carrier 

substrate such as paper. In the subsequent 

phase of extrusion laminating, the biopolymer 

is used as a glue to combine substrates. 

www.mondigroup.com 

Photo: 

European Bioplastics 



The Big 

at interpack 

DuPont 

DuPont launched two products within the 

framework of interpack: 

Biomax ® TPS thermoplastic starch-based 

sheet is a product based on the technology 

from Plantic Technologies Limited, DuPont’s 

alliance partner. DuPont Biomax TPS has been 

successfully demonstrated commercially in 

thermoformed trays. It works especially well 

where the product it holds is a low moisture, 

low water-activity food like chocolates and 

cookies. Because it is naturally anti-static, it 

would also be useful as a tray package for sensitive 

electronic components. 

Biomax ® PTT is a partially renewablysourced, 

high-performance copolymer of 1,3 

propanediol and terephtalic acid with polyester-like 

performance. Biomax PTT 1100 for example 

contains up to 37% renewably sourced 

content by weight and injection molds similarly 

to PBT. 

Innovia 

Innovia Films launched a new grade of NatureFlex 

film. NatureFlex NVR belongs to the second generation 

of Innovia Films’ compostable and biodegradable 

product range, together with NatureFlex NVS and NatureFlex 

NM. It has been specifically formulated to 

offer enhanced print and conversion receptivity and 

has an intermediate moisture barrier with heat-sealability 

on both sides. 

“Visitors to our stand at interpack 2008: Bioplastics 

in Packaging were able to see samples of the new 

product on display as part of our complete NatureFlex 

range. The development of NatureFlex NVR demonstrates 

yet again, innovation leading the way and our 

R&D expertise coming to the fore,” said Andy Sweetman, 

Innovia Films’ Global Marketing Manager - Sustainable 

Technologies. 

Other key features of NatureFlex NVR include: superb 

dead-fold properties, improved stiffness under 

chill cabinet conditions, good barrier to gases and 

aromas and resistance to oils and greases. Target 

applications for NVR include bakery, confectionery 

and dried foods such as pasta, pulses and rice. 

NatureFlex NVR is based on renewable wood pulp 

sourced from managed plantations which either have, 

or are working towards, FSC, PEFC or similar certification. 

The renewable or biobased content of a range 

of NatureFlex films has been determined by ASTM 

D6866 and shown to be circa 95%. 

www.innoviafilms.com 

www.dupont.com 


Events Preview 

1st PLA World Congress 

bioplastics MAGAZINE invites to the 1st PLA World Congress. 

This unique event will be hosted in Munich, Germany 

on the 9th and 10th of September, 2008. 

The 1st PLA Bottle Conference, that bioplastics MAGA- 

ZINE organized in Hamburg last year was quite a success. 

The conference attracted over 100 experts from more than 

25 countries. Delegates from the beverage industry as well 

as bioplastics experts came from all over Europe, North 

America and countries as far away as Hawaii, Australia, 

South Africa and even Bhutan in the Himalayas. 

The 1st PLA World Congress will cover all topics around 

the versatile bioplastic material PLA. For details see the ad 

on the right and the preliminary programme below. 

Who should attend 

The 1st PLA World Congress is a unique opportunity to 

benefit from presentations about the latest developments 

as well as challenges and future prospects. Raw material 

suppliers, compounders, converters, retailers, brand owners, 

trader, engineers, scientists, and journalists get the 

chance to meet and establish valuable network connections. 

And of course anyone else who is interested in the 

opportunities coming from this unique polymer family. 

Register at www.pla-world-congress.com 

The team of bioplastics MAGAZINE is looking forward to 

seeing you in Munich. 

Preliminary programme: 

Hans-Josef Endres, Univ. App. Sc. Hannover 

N.N. , Uhde Inventa Fischer 

Manfred Stepanksi, Sulzer Chemtec 

Hans van der Pol, Purac Biochem 

N.N. 

N.N., NatureWorks 

Remy Jongboom, Biopearls 

Patrick Zimmermann, FkUR 

Karl-Heinz Hausmann, DuPont Packaging 

Jerome Raphanaud, Cereplast 

Karin Molenveld, Wageningen (WUR) 

Frederic Loyrion, Clariant Masterbatches Div. 

Karl-Heinz Proksch, Polyone 

Karl Zimmermann , Brückner Maschinenbau 

Martin Debaets, Sidaplax 

Regis Garoutte, Polyfilms 

Stefan Honke, Maag / Thomas Glaw, Alcan 

Cesare Vannini, Coopbox Italia 

Keynote Speech: Current Situation and future perspectives of biopolymers 

Latest developments in production of PLA 

Purification of Dilactide through Melt Crystallization 

Enhanced thermal properties (Lactides PDLA – PLLA) 

Market situation and Production Capacities of PLA 

Latest developments in Ingeo polymers 

Compounding of PLA 

Tailored bioplastics compounds – taking PLA further. 

Novel Modifier Approaches for PLA in impact, processing and thermal performance 

Cereplast, making PLA better 

Improving PLA: processing & additives 

CESA-natur Additives for PLA 

Additives / Masterbatches for PLA 

Oriented Films Turn Green Stretching Technology for Present 

and Future BOPLA Film Applications 

Current market applications for PLA – flexible films 

PLA flexible films 

Laminated multilayer films with barrier layer 

Packaging of fresh food with PLA, in particulary with protective atmosphere 

A. Jaszkiewicz, University of Kassel Modified PLA and its composites for packaging applications in high-tech quality 

Takurou Ito, Toyo Seikan Kaisha 

Yoshiharu Kitajima, Arkhe Will 

R. Forstner, TCKT 

Transfercenter für Kunststofftechnik 

Rita Campos, P I E P 

Pólo de Inovação em Engenharia de Polímeros 

Ramani Narayan, Michigan State University 

Panel discussion: 

Moderator: Andrea Siebert, Univ.App. Sc. Hannover; 

Participants: Prof. Endres, Prof. Narayan, 

and others t.b.d. 

Gas barrier advanced PLA bottles and closures 

Innovative PLA applications 

Fiber Reinforced Polylactic acid (PLA) Compounds – Properties 

and Potential Applications 

New materials based on natural resources from the euro-region: 

automotive applications 

LCA: How to report on the carbon and environmental footprint of PLA 

End of life options 

10 bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/08] Vol. 3

ioplastics MAGAZINE invites to 


09 - 10 September 2008 

powered by 


PLA is a very promising raw material. The high 

interest in PLA for bottle applications was 

demonstrated by the huge participation in the 

1st PLA Bottle Conference that bioplastics 

MAGAZINE organized last September in 

Hamburg, Germany. But not only PLA bottles 

are a highly topical subject. PLA is a versatile 

bioplastics raw material from renewable 

resources. It is being used for films and rigid 

packaging, for fi bres in woven and nonwoven 

applications. Automotive industry 

and consumer electronics are thoroughly 

investigating and even already applying PLA. 

Reinforcement with natural fi bres such as 

kenaf broadens the range of applications even 

more. That‘s why bioplastics MAGAZINE is now 

organising the 1st PLA World Congress. 

Experts from all involved fields will share their 

knowledge and contribute to a comprehensive 

overview of today‘s opportunities and 

challenges and discuss the possibilities, 

limitations and future prospects of PLA for all 

kind of applications. 

The conference is being held on the 

09th and 10th of Semptenber 2008 

in Munich, Germany and will cover 

subjects such as: 

• Latest developments 

• Market overview 

• High temperature behaviour 

• Barrier issues 

• Additives / Colorants 

• Glues / printing inks 

• Labels 

• Applications (packaging, bottles, 

automotive, electronics etc) 

• Fabrics 

• Reinforcements 

• End of life options (recycling, 

composting, incineration etc) 

Bioplastics MAGAZINE is looking 

forward to seeing you in Munich. 

Supported by 

www.pla-world-congress.com | www.bioplasticsmagazine.com

Events 

Innovation Takes Root 

This is the title of first-of-its-kind technical conference 

on polylactide polymer innovation for real market solutions, 

sponsored by NatureWorks LLC. The conference is 

designed to offer attendees a combination of educational, 

networking and collaborative opportunities. It takes place 

on September 16 – 18, 2008 at the Planet Hollywood Resort 

& Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA 

Delegates can discover the technological innovations of 

today’s fastest growing biopolymer. Presentations will cover 

the latest research developments on biopolymers, including 

Ingeo TM natural plastic, from NatureWorks and other 

renowned polylactide scientists and engineers. At the 

conference, the attendees have the chance to meet today’s 

industry solution-providers and share ideas with other professionals 

in the field. 

The Innovation Takes Root curriculum encompasses a 

highly technical learning experience. Technical sessions 

will include topics such as: Improvements in mechanical 

properties, Surface modifications, Innovations with additives, 

Improvements in thermal properties by nucleation 

packages, blends, and stereocomplex. 

The event will be beneficial to attendees from a diversity 

of fields and disciplines: Brand owner, Retailers, Product 

designers, Sustainability Managers, R&D, Process Engineers, 

Consultants, Academia and Technical Media. 

www.innovationtakesroot.com 

3rd European 

Bioplastics Conference 

to be Hosted in Berlin 

European Bioplastics, the representation of the European 

bioplastics industry, announced the 3rd European Bioplastics 

Conference. Taking place November 5-6, 2008, in Berlin, 

it is the leading event for recent technical, economic and 

political developments of the bioplastics industry. A table 

top exhibition featuring materials, products and innovations 

takes place simultaneously. 

With 315 delegates, 45 speakers and latest innovations of 

26 exhibitors the last year’s conference in Paris showed the 

huge relevance of the promising industry. The association is 

expecting further growth this year. 

The 3rd European Bioplastics Conference in Berlin will 

present the latest issues, innovations, market achievements 

and policy developments in the industrial and environmental 

applications of bioplastics. It will also provide 

exceptional networking, product exhibition and partnership 

opportunities. This international conference will bring together 

academic, government and business leaders from 

around the globe for a dynamic two day event. 

The conference programme will include invited keynote 

speeches from politicians to market leaders as well as selected 

lectures. Topics varying from economical, environmental 

to technical perspectives will overview the current 

situation of the bioplastics industry. 

www.european-bioplastics.org 


Monday, October 6 – Wednesday, October 8, 2008 

Embassy Suites Hotel Chicago, Chicago, IL 

This year’s expanded program, featuring market specific tracks and over 40 presentations, will give you an in-depth knowledge into the wider range of biopolymer materials 

and blends now available. In 2009, the industry is expected to see fully versatile biopolymers, fit for a variety of applications, including: food and beverage, packaging, textiles, 

medical devices, outdoor equipment, footwear and automotive. At Biopolymers Symposium 2008 you’ll hear from the key players in these industries and discover how 

the latest advancements will profit you. You’ll leave this conference armed with a strategy to succeed! To view full program go to: www.biopolymersummit.com 

7 compelling reasons to attend 

g Discover the retailer perspective on biopolymer products from Nike 

g Understand what role biopolymers play in Levi’s ® Jeans 

g Get the results from Ford Motor Company on their use of bioresins in greener vehicles 

g Gain insight from NatureWorks on the current and future trends for bioplastics 

g Get up to date on the new world of biopolymers from Seventh Generation 

g Hear about collaboration and co-creation for sustainable value from Unilever 

g Hear a brand owner’s view on the current and future applications of biopolymers 

from Kraft Foods 

Media partners: 

Exclusive recycling partner: 

 

 

In association with: 

Book before Friday, August 29 and get 10% off the conference fee! 

To secure your seat register at: www.bioploymersummit.com

Applications 

Mirel Bioplastics is Chosen by Labcon 

North America for New Laboratory Liquid 

Handling System, a Case Study 

Real World Solutions 

Challenge 

For over 40 years Labcon North America has been 

designing and manufacturing quality disposable plastics 

for laboratories all over the world. Traditionally focused 

on delivering disposable plastics combined with high levels 

of quality and customer service, Labcon’s concentration 

helped them accelerate growth during a time when the 

industry feared contamination from microscopic traces of 

chemicals possibly left behind on washed glassware. 

Article contributed by Daniel Gilliland, 

Business Development Director, Telles, 

Lowell , Massachusetts, USA 

Located in Petaluma, California, USA, Labcon is a leading 

provider of disposable products to laboratories worldwide, 

supplying more than 800 products and manufacturing 

over a billion units a year. Labcon’s president Jim Happ 

recognized a growing concern both inside the company 

and from the industry at-large that the use and disposal 

of traditional plastics is just too wasteful in terms of 

landfill space, consumption of petroleum, and generation 

of greenhouse gases. So in 1995, Labcon embraced the 

concepts of sustainable packaging as part of its corporate 

mission and began to develop products unlike anything else 

the laboratory industry has seen – new products using less 

packaging, recycled plastics, and refillable packages. 

Labcon previously supplied conventional plastic trays 

that were thrown away or reclaimed through Labcon’s 

recycle program. But that was not enough to build a truly 

sustainable business model. Jim knew they had to go 

further down this path and introduce a more sustainable 

product line. With regulations and customer demand pull 

through for greener supplies, Labcon began to visualize 

a new product line, coupled with a composting program 

to complement this new product initiative. However, the 

performance requirements included an intrinsic mold flow 

design and high temperature autoclave sterilization step - 

both were a stretch for typical bioplastics. 

Cost Effective Solution 

In 2007, George Kipouras, a business development 

manager for Telles, the joint venture of Metabolix Inc. and 

Archer Daniels Midland Company that produces Mirel 

bioplastics (PHA), responded to Labcon’s need to find an 

alternative to conventional plastics. Working closely with 

Labcon’s marketing and product development teams, 

George made them aware of new technology about to 

emerge and managed the trials on Labcon’s existing 

processing equipment to prove feasibility. 


Applications 

Labcon selected Mirel for its improved physical 

properties of heat and chemical resistance, durability, and 

dimensional stability. Mirel was able to pass through the 

120°C autoclave process with no dimensional changes. 

Because of Mirel’s high modulus, Labcon was able to use 

less material in production than when using polypropylene, 

thus partially offsetting the cost differential of Mirel over 

conventional materials. Six months later, Telles entered 

into an agreement to supply Mirel bioplastic resin to Labcon 

for the Eclipse (formerly Pagoda) pipette reloading system 

trays (see photo). 

Sustainable Results 

The new Labcon Eclipse reloading system utilizes Mirel 

for the injection molded tray that holds the pipettes precisely 

in place. In announcing the sales agreement through a 

press release, Telles VP of Sales and Marketing Bob Findlen 

said: “Processing this very complicated part demonstrates 

the versatility and ease with which Mirel can be used for 

injection molding applications. Until today, bioplastics in 

general have had limited capability in injection molding 

applications.” 

Mirel is a high performance, heat resistant PHA bioplastic 

material that can transcend into other dimensions as it 

functions like an engineering thermoplastic. Findlen sees 

potential in other business equipment markets including 

electronics, business machines, and cosmetics, and for 

replacing polycarbonate, PVC, ABS, nylon and polyester in 

many applications. 

Mirel is biobased and truly biodegradable, which means 

the Labcon product tray, can now be composted either in 

industrial compost systems or in a low cost, ‘home compost’ 

system at the end of its useful life. Labcon can now offer 

customers the opportunity to lower their carbon footprint, 

and customers have responded that they’ll make the switch 

over to new products made from renewable resources. 

Labcon envision’s many more products will utilize Mirel. 

www.mirelplastics.com. 

Antimicro_ad.qxd:Layout 1 15/7/08 13:51 Page 1 

Regulations for 

Antimicrobials 

Understanding and assessing 

the future regulatory landscape 

for antimicrobials in consumer products 

OnedayIntertechPirasummit 

Wednesday8October2008 

RussHillHotel,NrGatwickAirport,London,UK 

Visit us online: www.regulationsforantimicrobials.com 

Reasons to attend 

Hear a case study from leading 

chemical supplier Devan 

Chemicals on how regulations for 

antimicrobials will work in practice 

Understand the implications of 

using antimicrobials in packaging 

and other food contact 

applications 

Learn first hand from the EPA 

about current and future US 

regulatory considerations 

Get detailed and comprehensive 

advise from specialist law firm 

McKenna, Long & Aldrige 

Explore the interrelation between 

REACH and BPD 

Assess scenarios for growth in 

antimicrobials in context of future 

regulations 

Meet with key contacts to develop 

future business relationships 

Including presentations from: 

Media partner: 

bioplastics MAGAZINE [04/08] Vol. 3 15

Electronics 

Surround system of loudspeaker boxes with 

spherical shape: housing material Arboform of 

10 mm wall thickness, lacquer coated 

Biocomposites obtained exclusively from renewable 

resources meet the requirements of sustainable 

processes and eco-innovation, and will expand future 

material research for engineering applications in industry. 

The properties, treatment and processing of these 

materials have to meet industrial standards concerning 

raw materials from biomass, fibres, wood extraction constituents 

and biopolymers, to enable their supply to mass 

consumer goods manufacturers, the construction industry, 

and the automotive and electronics industries. Thermoplastic 

matrices of composites include biopolymers such as 

polylactide (PLA), polyhydroxy-butyrate (PHB) and starch, 

as well as lignin from the paper industry. Reinforcement is 

carried out by the use of natural short fibres from hemp, 

flax and wood 1-4 . The natural polymer lignin is generated 

as a by-product of the pulp and paper industry, at a rate 

of approximately 60 million tonnes in chemical pulp mills 

Lignin Matrix Composites 

for Loudspeaker Boxes 

Article contributed by 

H. Nägele, J. Pfitzer, both of Tecnaro 

GmbH, Ilsfeld-Auenstein, Germany 

N. Eisenreich, W. Eckl, E. Inone- 

Kauffmann, E. Walschburger all 

Fraunhofer-ICT, Pfinztal,Germany 

Housing parts of the complex loudspeaker design 

as obtained directly from the mould 

every year, worldwide. This biomass extraction can also be 

carried out in an environmentally friendly way by using only 

water 5,6 . Thermal use of lignin for the power supply of the 

chemical pulp mills dominates its current utilisation rather 

than its use as a material for components. Its integration as 

a component in engineering materials has proven to be difficult 

7,8 . However, recent work has succeeded in establishing 

lignin as the main component of a new class of engineering 

materials: Arboform®, based only on renewable resources, 

applicable for use in industrial equipment parts 9,10 . Technical 

advantages of these materials over synthetic polymers, 

such as the acoustic properties of lignin matrix composites 

(Arboform), could strongly support their application. 

The material consists of lignin, natural fibres for 

reinforcement, and natural additives to support processing 

and performance. It exhibits wood-like properties. Various 

sources of lignin - from different pulping procedures - and 

of natural fibres such as wood, hemp, flax, sisal, kenaf 

etc. - can be used. The choice of the lignin depends on the 

application field of the product. However, the material can 

be processed like a thermoplastic material and used for 

various engineering products. The processing includes: 


Surround system of loudspeaker boxes, 

complex shape: housing material Arboform of 

with 5 mm wall thickness, lacquer coated 

Electronics 

• Mixing of the constituents: lignin (40-70%), natural fibres 

(30-60%) and natural additives (150 MPa) and so is the 

injection speed. The holding pressure should be about 30% 

of the machine’s capacity and the related time only 0.5 – 2 

seconds. The cooling time must be extended by about 20% 

compared to that of a synthetic thermoplastic material. 

The mould tools should be designed for the series 

production of special materials. Important issues for tool 

design should take into account: 

• The shrinkage on injection moulding is very low and does 

not exceed 0.3% 

• Core-pullers should be foreseen for de-moulding, which 

are useful to achieve fast working cycles 

• Hot runner nozzles work only in limited cases. 

Depending on the fibre content the Young’s Modulus can 

vary between 2 and 8 GPa and the Charpy Impact Strength 

between 2 and 6 kJ/m 2 , but the latter value can be extended 

to 16 by the use of impact modifiers. The elongation at 

fracture is between 0.3-0.6%. The thermal expansion 

coefficient establishes below 5x10 -5 1/K. Nearly no resonance 

frequencies are found and a strong damping of vibration 

leads to excellent acoustic properties, which enables the 

material to be used in loudspeaker applications. 

Two types of loudspeaker housings were designed and 

manufactured according to the procedures described above. 

The material itself exhibits a unique structure which varies 

from part to part (see fig. 1). Original colours are limited to 

brown, green and red. Figures 2 and 3 show the completed 

boxes including a lacquered surface finish. 

info@tecnaro.de 

eri@ict.fraunhofer.de 

Acknowledgements 

The work was partially supported by the NEDO grant 

Nr.2002GP008, the EC, General Directorate XII, Biocomp: 

NMP2-CT-2005-515769 and Deutsche Bundesstiftung 

Umwelt. 

1. Kaplan, D.L. ed., Biopolymers from Renewable 

Resources, Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, 1998 

2. Bledzki, A.K., Gassan, J.: Composites reinforced with 

cellulose based fibres. Prog. Polym. Sci. 24(1999) 211- 

274 

3. Bledzki A. K., Sperber V. E., Development in wood fiber 

composites, Int. Symp. on Wood Based Materials, 

Vienna, Austria 2002. 

4. E. Inone-Kauffmann, N. Eisenreich, Biocomp - 

composites from renewable resources - a European 

project, in Polymer Processing Society PPS23 

Proceedings, San Salvador, Brazil, May, 2007 

5. Bobleter, O. (1998). „Hydrothermal Degradation and 

Fractionation of Saccharides and Polysaccharides“. 

Polysaccharides, Structural Diversity and Functional 

Versatility, Marcel Dekker, Inc. pp. 775-833. 

6. Jedicke O., Eisenreich N., „Aquasolv - Hydrothermolyse 

„The Development of a Process for Completely Use of 

Biomass“ Proceedings 1st Biomass World Conference, 

Sevilla, Spain, 2000. 

7. Roffael, E., Dix, B. :Lignin and ligninsulfonate in 

non-conventional bonding systems - an overview. 

S. 1st European Workshop on Lignocellulosics and 

Pulp, Utilization and Analysics Of Lignins - Hamburg- 

Bergedorf, Federal Republic of Germany, Sept. 18.- 

20.1991. 

8. Glasser, W.W., R.A. Northey, T.P. Schultz, eds., Lignin: 

Historical, Biological, and Materials Perspectives. 

American Chemical Society Symposium Series 742. 

American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2000. 

9. Eisenreich N., Eckl W., Inone E. R., Nägele H., Pfitzer 

J., Arboform – a thermoplastic made of renewable 

resources, Proceedings Electronic Goes Green 2000, 

Vol. 1, Technical Lectures (Joint International Congress 

and Exhibition, Berlin, Germany, Sept. 2000). 

10. Nägele, H., Pfitzer, J., Nägele, E., Inone, E. R., 

Eisenreich, N., Eckl, W., Eyerer, P., Arboform - A 

thermoplastic, processable material from lignin and 

natural fibers, in: Chemical Modification, Properties, 

and Usages of Lignin , Th. Q. Hu Ed.; Kluwer Academic 

/ Plenum Publisher, New York, 2002, 101-120. 


Electronics 

Bioplastics in 

Consumer Electronics 

Of course packaging is the biggest application for biobased 

and biodegradable plastics today. But other 

industry sectors are also looking into the new materials. 

While biodegradability is a useful additional end-of-life 

option for packaging and agricultural/horticultural applications, 

for the automotive industry and consumer electronics 

renewable resources are the more important aspect. 

W510 mobile phone (Photo: Samsung) 

“Amid growing concern over environmental problems, 

bio-based plastics have attracted considerable attention 

as an environmentally-friendly material which lowers the 

burden on the environment by using less petrochemicalbased 

materials to reduce carbon dioxide emissions“. 

These words could be read in a recent press release by the 

Japanese company Fujitsu Ltd. 

Fujitsu, a pioneer using bioplastics 

Fujitsu is one of the pioneers in the use of bioplastics. As 

early as 1996 the company introduced the use of bio-based 

polymers in conveyor trays for LSI (Logic Storage) devices, 

and since then has applied them in a variety of products, 

such as POS terminals, ATMs, document scanners, and the 

PalmSecure palm vein authentication device. 

In 2002 Fujitsu became the first computer manufacturer to 

develop corn-based plastic and to adopt the environmentally 

friendly material for PC parts. In June of that year they 

introduced the world‘s first notebook PC in which certain 

parts of the chassis were made from a material that 

included a corn-based bio-polymer. 

Constant improvement 

A joint development of Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories 

Ltd. and Toray Industries, Inc. in 2005 resulted in a combined 

polymer-alloy technology and flame-retardant technology. 

A new bio-based polymer with high heat-resistance, low 

flammability, and good mouldability was used in Fujitsu’s 

FMV-BIBLO NB80K, the world‘s first notebook PC with a 

full-size chassis made with a bio-based polymer. The biobased 

content of that material was about 50% (polylactic 

acid, primarily from cornstarch) resulting in 15% less CO 2 

emissions than with conventional petrochemical plastics. 

The follow-up notebook model, the FMV-BIBLO NB80S had 

a chassis that consisted of 93% bio-based polymer. 


Electronics 

FMV-BIBLIO NX95Y/D 

notebook PC 

(Photo: Fujitsu) 

Woodshell concept PC 

(Photo Fujitsu) 

Increased impact resistance 

The next innovation from Fujitsu and Toray in 2006 was 

the development of a new bio-based polymer that features 

high impact resistance. The companies further refined 

the microstructure and improved the compatibility (the 

ease with which materials mix) of PLA with polymeralloyed 

polycarbonate, which has a high glass transition 

temperature. The new bio-based polymer features the 

same heat resistance and moulding properties as biobased 

polymer previously developed by the companies, and 

with a 50% improvement in impact resistance the plastic 

can now be applied to various mobile devices. 

In addition, Fujitsu succeeded in making a prototype 

mobile phone chassis composed entirely of the new biobased 

polymer. 

Also in 2006 Fujitsu announced the development of a 

new polymer with a high bio-content that uses castor oil 

extracted from the seeds of the castor bean. The polymer 

features superior flexibility that can withstand repeated 

bending. Potential applications for this bio-based polymer 

are small components of notebook PCs and mobile phones, 

such as connector covers. 

For this development Fujitsu and Fujitsu Laboratories 

worked with the French company, Arkema. The jointly 

developed bioplastic material has as its principal 

component polyamide-11, which is derived from castor oil. 

By weakening the interaction of the chain molecule in PA- 

11 and relaxing the stereo-regularity of their organization, 

the resulting material has sufficient flexibility to withstand 

repeated bending without causing the whitening that 

often occurs when such materials are strained. Moreover, 

Fujitsu has succeeded in developing a prototype of certain 

notebook PC-cover components with an exceptionally high 

bio-content of 60-80%. Even after adding high-density 

fillers to increase strength, the polymer maintains good 

impact-resistance and thus it is hoped that the material 

could eventually be used in PC chasses and other larger 

components. 

The Woodshell concept 

At the ‘Japan Design 2008 – Innovation’ Expo in Milan, 

Italy, Fujitsu introduced the latest development, the 

‘WoodShell’ concept PC, which has a wood-based housing, 

along with the FMV-BIBLO NX95Y/D, a notebook on sale in 

Japan which uses bio-based plastic materials for part of 

its housing. 

The WoodShell adopts natural materials (forest-thinned 

cedar) and bio-based plastics for its housing and parts 

- the prototype PC that is not merely an environmentally 

friendly tool but an object of enduring style and utility. 

The newly developed bio-based plastic accounts for 

about 30% of the plastic material in the housing of the 

FMV-BIBLO NX95Y/D, not including the keyboard, onetouch 

buttons, and some other parts. 

Samsung 

Just recently Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. from 

South Korea announced two environment-friendly mobile 

handsets, W510 and F268 at World IT Show in Seoul. 

W510 is Samsung‘s first mobile phone with ‘bio-plastic‘ 

made from natural material extracted from corns. Samsung 

has been making an effort to develop more renewable 

and eco-friendly material compared with common plastic 

produced from petroleum. 

Moreover, when producing W510, Samsung did not use 

any heavy metals, such as Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium, 

and applied water-soluble coating. 

Samsung F268 with all the accessories including charger 

and headset does not contain BFRs(Brominated Flame 

Retardant) or PVC. However, it seems not to contain any 

bioplastics. Both mobile phones are only available in Korea 

and Japan, at least for the time being. 

“Samsung is striving to continue to be a strong corporate 

citizen that contributes to environmental sustainability,“ said 

Geesung Choi, President of Samsung‘s Telecommunication 

Business. “Now we are trying not only to launch more 

environmentally-conscious products with more renewable 

material and less energy consuming, but also to expand 

proactively set up a phone recycling system“. 


Electronics 

Contactless ID-card (all photos Sony) 

Digital SLR camera a 350 

body cap 

Sony 

Another pioneer in the developing and utilizing of what they 

call “Vegetable-based Plastics” is Sony. 

Vegetable-based plastics are derived from biomass, (i.e., 

plant matter-based resources) and are therefore considerably 

more environmentally conscious than regular plastics in 

terms of reducing petroleum consumption, controlling 

greenhouse gas emissions and facilitating various end-oflife 

options. 

Sony has made extensive efforts to develop and utilize 

vegetable-based plastics. They began using these plastics in 

packaging materials in 2000. Examples were a packaging film 

for Sony’s ‘Neige’ MD blanks and a blister wrap for a portable 

radio (ICR-P10). In 2002 started using them in consumer 

products by utilizing them in Walkman ® casings. Since then, 

the casings or parts of eight products in six categories and 

the packaging materials for two products have been made 

from these materials. 

In 2004, Sony achieved a world first by developing a flameretardant 

vegetable-based plastic, which was used in DVD 

player front panels. This achievement enabled the use of 

these plastics in a broader range of products. 

In 2006, Sony succeeded in the practical application of 

vegetable-based plastics to FeliCa technology-installed 

cards, contactless integrated circuit (IC) cards used in e- 

money transactions. Also in 2006, vegetable-based plastics 

were used by Sony’s health insurance union to produce 

150,000 employee health insurance cards. 

Sony has also developed and, with the cooperation of 

suppliers, succeeded in practically applying a new technology 

for accelerating the crystallization of polylactic acid (PLA), 

which makes it easier to produce vegetable-based plastic 

components. This technology enables the production of 

highly heat-resistant molded parts in a shorter time. 

One of the latest product launches is the body cap of the 

Sony Digital SLR Camera a 350 (and others). It is made 

of Polyamide 11 made from castor oil, which is non-food 

biomass resources. 

www.fujitsu.com 

www.samsungmobile.com 

www.sony.com 

Body of Sony Walkman (WM-FX 202) 


Biomass CD-ROM 

Electronics 

A 

CD-ROM consisting of 30% PLA and 70% of a petroleum-based 

polymer has been introduced by Arkhe 

Will Co.,Ltd. of Fukui, Japan. The use of 30% PLA 

reduces the use of fossil resources by 25%, as Mrs. Noriko 

Maeda, president of Arkhe explains. 

In addition the hybrid material significantly reduces 

carbon dioxide emissions. “When manufacturing the 

hybrid material and burning it in a waste incineration plant 

after use the CO 2 

emissions are reduced by 53 % compared 

to polycarbonate, the material usually used for a normal 

CD-ROM (Life Cycle Inventory of the hybrid material),” says 

Sonoko Maeda at Arkhe Will. “During the production of the 

Biomass CD-ROM with the hybrid material, CO 2 

emissions 

are reduced by 31 % (compared to a polycarbonate CD- 

ROM),” she adds 

The petroleum-based thermoplastic material is not a 

polycarbonate, but Arkhe would like to keep details of the 

material formulation confidential. 

The World‘s 

First Environmentally - 

The so-called Biomass CD-ROM is best suited for use 

in promotional (brochure) campaigns or as an installation 

CD, because this kind of data storage medium is used only 

a few times. 

“Although the thermal resistance of PLA is still 

limited, after 5 years of development our Biomass CD- 

ROM performs almost like a standard CD-ROM,” says 

Mrs. Maeda. “The Biomass CD-ROM has not yet met the 

Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) but it is good enough 

for the initial applications. However, we continue our 

development in order to meet JIS requirements soon,” she 

adds. 

One of the major Japanese communications companies 

is very interested in this unique new product and has 

adopted it for one of its installation CDs. Follow-up orders 

in larger quantities are in preparation. 

This product is a ‘normal’ CD-ROM to be injection moulded 

with a glass master which contains the information (e.g. 

the data of the CD-ROM). A CD-R, that can be burned on a 

user’s PC is not yet available. The Biomass CD-ROMs are 

available in Japan already – in quantities from 1000 pieces. 

“But we can also supply CD-ROMs to the whole world,” 

says Noriko Meada. 

Conscious 

CD-ROM 

Fukui, Maruoka Castle (Photo: Mnd, Wikipedia) 

www.arkhe-will.jp 


Textile production had to turn to science to satisfy global 

fiber demand. Crude oil was the magic ingredient 

of choice during the 20th century, and many profited 

from the vast array of synthetic fiber production. Over consumption 

of oil for fuels and chemicals led to the situation 

today, with demand outstripping supply. 

The difference now is that it is well known that crude 

oil is a finite resource, is price volatile and its use allows 

more harmful emissions into the atmosphere, putting ever 

increasing pressure on the environment 

The textile industry was always at the front edge of how 

communities begin to do business and is often the pioneer 

of new ideas that mirror a consumer need. The organic or 

eco revolution for example, caught everyone by surprise, 

moving fast from a niche to mainstream. Not so for 

NatureWorks LLC, who anticipated this shift in both needs, 

for a better, more responsible approach to fiber resourcing 

and manufacture, as well as the growing consumer 

desire to choose better products that better protect their 

environment. 

100% Ingeo skirt by Marithé + François Girbaud 

In late 2007 NatureWorks became a 50/50 joint venture 

between Cargill Inc., and Teijin Ltd. Now with the integrated 

Ingeo: A New Era for a 

More Responsible Textile 

Industry 


Giusy Bettoni, 

Ingeo Global Communication Manager 

Ingeo dress Naturevsfuture 

by Nina Valenti 


Fibers | Textiles 

support of a major fiber player on the world stage, 

NatureWorks is set to consolidate its lead in bio-based 

manufactured fibers. The company is the first commercial 

scale producer and supplier of a new biopolymer designed 

as an alternative to oil based plastics such as polyester and 

nylon. This new ingenious PLA material is called Ingeo, 

and it’s made from plants instead of oil. NatureWorks owns 

patented technologies that produce the resin on an industrial 

scale and has a capacity to meet a growing business and 

consumer demand for renewably sourced, cost competitive 

products. It does this with a world scale facility in Nebraska, 

USA, capable of producing a name-plate capacity of 140.000 

metric tons per annum for use in the plastics and fibers 

industries. 

Ingeo sock by 

Fox River 

Ingeo was launched in New York on January 2003 and 

since then, a wide assortment of textile products has been 

adopted in the market. In April this year, NatureWorks 

hosted the third edition of its Ingeo Earth Month 2008, with 

events held in New York, Paris and Tokyo. 

These events showcased the latest Ingeo commercial 

products available today, such as couture wedding dresses 

by Gattinoni (wich can be seen on the cover of this issue 

of bioplastics MAGAZINE), and avant` garde technical fashion 

from M & F Girbaud. Other brands highlighted were 

Bens Land for childrenswear, codiceasbarre for T shirts, 

Designtex in the US for home furnishings, Faribault Mills for 

blankets, Fox River for socks, Linda Loudermilk for fashion, 

Moral Fervor and NatureVsfuture for women’s separates, 

and Rianne de Witte from Holland also for womenwear. All 

of these brands are a testimonial for the real innovation 

possible using Ingeo today, one that satisfies from a design 

and eco perspective but also from a high performance 

need. 

Ingeo long sleeve shirt Ecomako by Masako Oka 

Some of these key performance attributes are that it is 

quick drying, has good moisture and humidity transfer, 

is UV resistant, is naturally stain resistant and has low 

flammability characteristics. 

Also, by replacing petroleum with a renewable plantbased 

feedstock, NatureWorks uses up to 67 percent 

less fossil fuels to produce than traditional polymers. The 

environmental credentials are backed by a rigorous, peer 

reviewed, published eco-profile. The full 24-page ecoprofile, 

as published in Industrial Biotechnology , as well as 

the reviews, are available on NatureWorks’ website. 

Ingeo bridges both plastics and fiber categories, and is 

fueling innovation and spearheading creativity across a wide 

range of products from clothing to homeware, personal 

care products as well as natural plastic food packaging and 

even durable goods. 

www.natureworksllc.com 



More 

Responsible 

Technologies 

100% Ingeo draperies fabric by Lodetex 


Robert Green, Ingeo Fibers and 

Nonwovens Business Development 

Manager, Natureworks LLC 

100% Ingeo continuous 

filament by Leitsu 

As with any new invention, there will be challenges 

when the variety of textile processes is considered 

that have been developed and refined over the years 

to produce final finished fabrics. When polyester was first 

produced, it was impossible to have it in anything but raw 

white! New chemistry and systems had to be invented to 

bring it to life. 

Now, NatureWorks’ Ingeo is the first new generic 

manufactured fiber for 20 years and is referred to as 

Polylactide or PLA for identification purposes. In just 

a few short years, the textile industry accelerated its 

understanding of how to process this new material from a 

standing start to a full competence in terms of coloration 

and finishing. Challenges still exist, but the nature and skills 

of NatureWorks’ best partners are proving that new science 

is like a river, it knows where it is going, and improvements 

in performance and efficiencies can be seen year on year. 

To produce Ingeo fibers Ingeo biopolymer resin is 

extruded into fiber for filament yarns or staple fibers for 

spun yarn production. Added to that, there are some specific 

nonwovens techniques that convert the PLA resin directly 

into a fabric, using its thermoplastic properties to create 

spunbondspunbond webs for a wide range of of end uses. 

The key advantage of Ingeo fiber over other man-made 

fibers is that is is made from plants instead of crude oil, 

and as such offers an immediate environmental point of 

difference that appeals to consumers today. 

This combined with some favorable comparative attributes 

achieved without additives, such as good natural moisture 

management, UV light resistance, quick dry, natural stain 



for Sustainable 

Textiles 

100% Ingeo draperies fabric by Lodetex 

resistance, distinctive hypoallergenic character, low odor 

retention and low flammability, shows that Ingeo has high 

technological performance proof points. Full details are 

available in comprehensive factsheets from NatureWorks’ 

website. 

Aesthetically, Ingeo can be smooth and sleek and silky in 

filament form, or soft and matt with a natural hand when 

developed in spun forms. This means that a wide variety of 

textile products are possible, reflecting consumer demand 

firstly for products that look and feel beautiful, but now 

come with performance and a compelling environmental 

message. 

Yarn counts possible range from 78 to 167 dtex 1 in flat 

and textured finishes as well as monofilament counts, and 

in staple cotton spinning, standard counts range from 8s 

to 40s 2 , for all applications including ring spun for denims 

and sports applications. The moisture content is 0.4 to 

0.6% and according to recent testing; Ingeo outperforms 

standard polyester in wicking performance. In consumer 

use, garments are laundered at 50°C with a no-iron policy 

advised for best care. 

Ingeo therefore continues to gain acceptance in a wide 

range of applications. With the increased focus on global 

warming and the recognition of the finite fossil fuel 

resources Ingeo has been seen as a viable alternative to 

petrochemically derived products due to significantly 

reduced fossil fuel usage and a production process that is 

nearly greenhouse gas neutral. 

1 Decitex (dtex) is the count grading 

for filament and spinning yarns 

recognized by all international bodies 

in the man-made fibres industry. It 

is defined as weight per length of the 

filament. 1 tex = 1 g / 1,000 m and 

thus 1 dtex = 1 g/10,000 m. Another 

unit of measurement for the fineness 

of filaments is Denier (den). 

1 dtex = 0.9 den 

2 Spinning count is a measure of fiber 

fineness and distribution developed 

by the English. It is defined as the 

number of hanks of yarn that can be 

spun from a pound of wool. A hank 

of wool is 560 yards long (560 yd/lb = 

1.129 km/kg). In theory a pound of 62s 

wool could produce 34720 (=62*560) 

yards of yarn. (Wikipedia) 

Ingeo quilting by Thermore 




Love’n Ingeo sanitary 

napkins (W.I.P.) 

Ingeo Fiber 

Revolutionizes the 

Nonwoven Sector 

Article contributed by Eamonn Tighe, 

European Fibers Business Development 

Manager, NatureWorks LLC 

Ingeo weedblock fabric by Easy Gardener 

The nonwovens industry is at the forefront in creating 

products that surround every aspect of the way we 

live, often touching our skin with products like cosmetic 

wipes, baby wipes, diapers and medical textiles, so 

it is a specific, often single use application that needs to 

take care of the materials being used, where hypoallergenic 

properties, softness and also moving liquids are key attributes 

considered in the selection of raw material used. 

Added to that the disposal issues related to many of 

the standard nonwoven products used everyday, and the 

need for more research and more options on how this is 

facilitated in the future is obvious. 

So with performance, lifestyle choices and environmental 

issues each playing their part in the nonwovens industry, 

Ingeo is now the new raw material of choice that is perfectly 

placed to address each of these needs in turn. Ingeo 

biopolymer (PLA) is made from 100% annually renewable 

plant resources, and as such provides a more responsible 

way of manufacturing nonwoven products that come into 

contact with consumers’ skin. This is in part the motivation 

to choose Ingeo products over conventional oil based ones. 

At the same time, these products must be able to satisfy 

on a performance level while maintaining a respect for 

environmental concerns too. 

Ingeo is a pure and natural based innovation that emits 

less green house gases in production. It has outstanding 

water transport properties and outperforms PET fabrics for 

breathability, comfort and insulation. Products made from 

this biopolymer are hypoallergenic, showing no evidence 

of skin sensitization and have a natural resistance to 



staining as well as very low odor retention and good thermo 

regulating properties. And with more end-of-life options, 

these nonwoven innovation products measurably contribute 

to a reduction in the carbon footprint both for manufacturers 

and final end users. 

Natural Choice Ingeo baby diapers by Valor Brand 

The range of application for Ingeo nonwovens runs from 

skincare, with wipes to apparel with thermal and structural 

interlinings. In furniture components, wadding and fillings, 

always hidden, but nonetheless critical for the lifetime 

performance of the product are now using PLA fibers. 

In babycare, moisturized Ingeo wipes and diapers, and 

also with personal hygiene products designed to deliver 

confidence are being promoted by eco sensitive brands. 

New applications on a grand scale see landscape weedblock 

textiles and exhibition carpet flooring set to replace 

conventional oil-based products, and the campaign against 

supermarket plastic bags has opened the opportunity for 

some new Ingeo qualities to fill the gap with a new, more 

sustainable multi-use shopping bag that combines high 

performance with a natural origin. 

Ingeo fiber is produced in a full range of types designed 

to fit all standard nonwoven techniques including spun lace, 

thermal, chemical or resin bonding, calendaring, needle 

punch and wet laid processes, as well as spunbond fabrics 

making it a very compelling component to replace oil based 

fibers throughout the nonwovens industry 

With the rapid growth in consumers desire for more 

environmentally friendly products, Natureworks is pleased 

to announce further expansions in our customer partner 

network of fiber and fabric suppliers. In the US Palmetto 

Synthetics, DS fibers in Belgium and Huvis in South Korea 

are our most recent licensed Ingeo fiber suppliers. This 

further strengthens supply options when combined with our 

long time Ingeo fiber suppliers FIT in the US and China, FET 

in Taiwan and Toray as well as Unitika in Japan. 

Ingeo baby wet wipes by Ben’s Land 

In addition to the full range of Ingeo fibers being offered by 

our partners, we are also excited about the recent addition 

of CL Chemical Fiber in China to our partner network. CL 

produces a full range of 100% Ingeo spunbond fabrics for a 

broad range of applications. 

Produced in all shapes and forms, Ingeo in nonwovens is 

poised to help transform the way to shop and live. 



Eco-Friendly 

and Woven 

Bird repellent tape 

The Japanese company Arkhe Will Co., Ltd. develops and 

markets products made from bioplastics. One part of 

Arkhe‘s product range consists of so-called novelty goods. 

These promotional items are, for example, mouse pads, bottle 

openers, magnifying glasses, diary covers and much more. 

However, Arkhe Will is based in Fukui, an area where textile 

processing technology is well developed. That is why the company 

is also quite active in developing fibre and textile applications 

made from bioplastics such as PLA. The company has many 

years experience in textiles, and the necessary proficiency in 

processing and dying PLA fibres as well as printing on PLA 

fabric. 

When Arkhe Will started to develop biodegradable non-woven 

and woven fabric products they were looking for applications 

where the limited thermal properties of PLA were not exactly 

a disadvantage. “We were looking for products which would be 

burned after use. So we started making the PLA fabric for the 

special cloth called ‘shiro-shozoku’ (in English: white cloth), 

which is a gown for those who have died,” says Keiko Maeda, 

Managing Director of Arkhe. “Cremation is popular in Japan, 

and in most cases the body is cremated dressed in a ‘shiroshozoku,’” 

she adds. Thus this special cloth is used only once. 

Ropes 

Nets 



Non-Woven 

Fabric from Arkhe 

Name-card holder and lanyards 

Shirts and jackets 

The pictures show examples of the various textile applications that 

Arkhe have developed since that time. Among these applications 

are all kind of bags, nets, tapes, ribbons, jackets and T-shirts. “One 

of our popular products made of PLA fibres is a name-card holder 

and lanyard” explains Mrs. Maeda. “Every piece (the lanyard, the 

clip and the card-holder) is made of PLA plastic or PLA fibres. 

The fibres exhibit almost the same physical properties as 

conventional synthetic fibres such as nylon or polyester. Strength 

and elongation can be readily controlled by adjusting production 

conditions.” 

Innovative animal repellents 

Quite a fascinating application for PLA fabrics and non-wovens is 

in the field of animal repellents. The bird repellent tape for example 

is made 100% from non-woven PLA fibres. The tape contains 

capsaicin as a deterrent substance. Capsaicin is an all-natural 

substance (the active component of red chilli peppers) that keeps 

birds away from the valuable fruit. 

Other applications are PLA tapes or nets with capsaicin to 

protect plants from animals. Deer, bears and other wild animals 

are deterred from browsing through plantations. It also helps to 

repel crows, rats and deer from gnawing at fruit crops and trees. 

www.arkhe-will.jp 

Animal repellent net 



Fiber and Fabric Applications 

Sorona ® Renewably 


Dawson E. Winch, Global Brand 

Manager, DuPont Applied BioSciences, 

Wilmington, Delaware, USA 

Now in its third century, DuPont has evolved into a 

leader in industrial biotechnology. The company is 

leading the way in industrial biotechnology with more 

patents in this field than any other company. DuPont is also 

unique in that it operates throughout the entire supply chain - 

from seed to agricultural feedstock to product or in the terms 

of life cycle analysis, from cradle to gate. Being a leader in 

sustainability in October 2006 DuPont announced new 2015 

Sustainability Goals. Most of the previous sustainability goals 

for 2010 had been met or exceeded. One of these goals is to 

reduce dependency on non-depletable resources – this includes 

petroleum. DuPont Sorona ® renewably sourced 

polymer was the first commercialized product that used renewable 

resources – instead of petroleum – to produce both 

ingredients and materials. 

Natural fibers such as wool, linen, silk and cotton have long 

been a part of fashion history. In the mid 20th century synthetic 

fibers hit the market and women enjoyed wearing stockings 

made with nylon from DuPont. For over 60 years DuPont 

has been a leader in polymer and fiber innovation and this 

innovation continues in the 21st century with the introduction 

of DuPont Sorona renewably sourced polymer 

DuPont has known about Sorona, known generically as 

PTT (polytrimethyl terephthalate) for many years but didn’t 

believe it was economically viable to make it using traditional 

petrochemical feedstocks. So, DuPont scientists developed a 

way to make this product by combining biology with polymer 

science to find alternative production methods. Since the 

production of PDO (propanediol) – the key ingredient in 

Sorona, occurs in nature, it was a matter of maximizing and 

simplifying that process to produce commercial quantities of 

1,3 propanediol, in one step. 

Bio-PDO (1,3 propanediol) is the first of several base 

monomers or building block molecules developed by DuPont 

using renewable resources instead of petrochemicals. Not 

only does Bio-PDO have direct applications it is also the key 

ingredient in Sorona renewably sourced polymer. Sorona 

offers ‘Performance PLUS Environmental Responsibility’ to 

the fiber and fabric industries. 

As a fiber, Sorona offers a unique combination of attributes 

not found in any other single fiber. Many markets and end 

uses including apparel, home and office interiors, carpeting 

and automotive interiors and carpeting can benefit from the 

many attributes and benefits of Sorona. 



using DuPont 

Sourced Polymer 

Performance is important to both brands and consumers 

and is an important contributor to increasing the 

sustainability quotient of a product. Today’s busy consumers 

are looking for products and apparel that offer durability, 

meet or exceed performance expectations and are easy 

care. Apparel markets including swimwear, intimate 

apparel, activewear and ready to wear are key targets for 

Sorona. 

Due to the colorfastness, UV and chlorine resistance, 

swimwear looks great and retains its color and shape all 

summer long. Fabrics made with Sorona won’t degrade 

or breakdown due to harsh sunlight or chlorine. Due to 

its softness, fabrics made with these fibers are low pill 

so swimwear looks and peforms like new despite the 

performance demands. 

• 

Mohawk smart strand carpet 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Intimate apparel designers and consumers alike; appreciate 

the exceptional level of softness and drape. Unlike other 

synthetics, fibers made with Sorona dye easily and achieve pure 

whites as well as rich blacks – both very popular colors in the 

intimate apparel market. Best of all for consumers is the easy 

care attribute. Garments with Sorona can be washed in cold 

water and colors won’t fade due to its colorfastness and fade 

resistance attributes. Durability and cold water washing also 

contribute to reducing the environmental footprint. 

When extruded as a fiber, Sorona holds an odd cross section 

– necessary for moisture management – better than traditional 

polyester – so moisture is transported away from the body 

efficiently and effectively in activewear. Since fibers and fabrics 

made with the new polymer are fade resistant, activewear 

colors remain bold and vivid through many work-outs and 

adventures, not to mention washings. Most agree that the 

comfort stretch and full recovery of fabrics made with Sorona 

also lead to freedom of movement – a necessity in activewear. 

Fleece reaches new levels of softness. With fibers from 

Sorona microdenier softness is achieved at larger deniers 

making processing easier. 

When blended with other fibers, Sorona continues to offer 

valuable attributes. Blended with wool it offers softness 

and drape along with resistance to wrinkles – perfect for the 

business traveler who goes from plane to meeting. Cotton / 

Sorona blends offer softness and a comfort stretch and recovery 

to provide freedom of movement through the shoulders and 

elbows where consumers need it most. In other words, Sorona 

blends easily with other fibers – both synthetic and natural - to 

enhance and maximize both performance and style. 

Designers appreciate the easy dye capability. The material 

reaches full color absorption at the boiling point of water. 

Fabrics and apparel print and dye beautifully resulting in bold 

vivid colors and sharp, crisp prints that won’t bleed or fade. 

The environmental side of the ‘Performance PLUS’ story 

is threefold. First, Sorona uses approx. 30% less energy to 

produce than the production of an equal amount of nylon6. 

Second, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced up to 63%. 

And lastly, Sorona reduces dependence on oil since it uses 

renewably sourced ingredients, replacing those made with 

petrochemicals. Sorona contains 37% renewably sourced 

ingredients by weight. 

As a carpet fiber, the new material offers outstanding 

performance including durability, crush resistance and 

resilience. Best of all, is the benefit of permanent, natural 

stain resistance that won’t wash or wear off as topical stain 

treatments are prone to do. DuPont has partnered with Mohawk 

Industries to bring this environmentally responsible polymer to 

the North American market in residential carpeting. DuPont is 

also working with the automotive industry to offer similar stain 

resistant carpets to automotive manufacturers for carpeting 

and car mats. 

www.sorona.dupont.com 


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Basics Glossary 

Carbon neutral 

In bioplastics MAGAZINE again 

and again the same expressions 

appear that some of our readers 

might (not yet) be familiar with. 

This glossary shall help with these 

Amylopectin 

terms and shall help avoid repeated 

explanations such as ‘PLA (Polylactide)‘ 

in various articles. 

Readers who know better explanations or who 

would like to suggest other explanations to be 

added to the list, please contact the editor. 

[*: bM ... refers to more comprehensive article previously 

published in bioplastics MAGAZINE) 

Polymeric branched starch molecule with very high molecular 

weight (biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose). 

Amyloseacetat 

Linear polymeric glucose-chains are called à amylose. 

If this compound is treated with ethan acid one product is 

amylacetat. The hydroxyl group is connected with the organic 

acid fragment. 

Amylose 

Polymeric non-branched starch molecule with high molecular 

weight (biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose). 

Biodegradable Plastics 

Biodegradable Plastics are plastics that are completely 

assimilated by the à microorganisms present a defined environment 

as food for their energy. The carbon of the plastic 

must completely be converted into CO 2 

.during the microbial 

process. For an official definition, please refer to the 

standards e.g. ISO or in Europe: EN 14995 Plastics- Evaluation 

of compostability - Test scheme and specifications. [bM 

02/2006 p. 34f, bM 01/2007 p38]. 

Blend 

Glossary 

Mixture of plastics, polymer alloy of at least two microscopically 

dispersed and molecularly distributed base polymers. 

Carbon neutral describes a process that has a negligible 

impact on total atmospheric CO 2 

levels. For example, 

carbon neutrality means that any CO 2 

released 

when a plant decomposes or is burnt is offset by an 

equal amount of CO 2 

absorbed by the plant through 

photosynthesis when it is growing. 

Cellophane 

Clear film on the basis of à cellulose. 

Cellulose 

Polymeric molecule with very high molecular weight 

(biopolymer, monomer is à Glucose), industrial production 

from wood or cotton, to manufacture paper, 

plastics and fibres. 

Compost 

A soil conditioning material of decomposing organic 

matter which provides nutrients and enhances soil 

structure. 

Compostable Plastics 

Plastics that are biodegradable under ‘composting’ 

conditions: specified humidity, temperature, à microorganisms 

and timefame. Several national and international 

standards exist for clearer definitions, for example 

EN 14995 Plastics - Evaluation of compostability 

- Test scheme and specifications [bM 02/2006 p. 34f, bM 

01/2007 p38]. 

Composting 

A solid waste management technique that uses natural 

process to convert organic materials to CO 2 

, water 

and humus through the action of à microorganisms 

[bM 03/2007]. 

Copolymer 

Plastic composed of different monomers. 

Fermentation 

Biochemical reactions controlled by à microorganisms 

or enyzmes (e.g. the transformation of sugar into 

lactic acid). 

Gelatine 

Translucent brittle solid substance, colorless or 

slightly yellow, nearly tasteless and odorless, extracted 

from the collagen inside animals‘ connective tissue. 

Glucose 

Monosaccharide (or simple sugar). G. is the most 

important carbohydrate (sugar) in biology. G. is formed 

by photosynthesis or hydrolyse of many carbohydrates 

e. g. starch. 


Humus 

In agriculture, ‘humus’ is often used simply to mean 

mature à compost, or natural compost extracted from 

a forest or other spontaneous source for use to amend 

soil. 

Hydrophilic 

Property: ‘water-friendly’, soluble in water or other 

polar solvents (e.g. used in conjunction with a plastic 

which is not waterresistant and weatherproof or that 

absorbs water such as Polyamide (PA). 

Hydrophobic 

Property: ‘water-resistant’, not soluble in water (e.g. 

a plastic which is waterresistant and weatherproof, or 

that does not absorb any water such as Polethylene (PE) 

or Polypropylene (PP). 

Microorganism 

Living organisms of microscopic size, such as bacteria, 

funghi or yeast. 

PCL 

Polycaprolactone, a synthetic (fossil based), biodegradable 

bioplastic, e.g. used as a blend component. 

PHA 

Polyhydroxyalkanoates are linear polyesters produced 

in nature by bacterial fermentation of sugar or lipids. 

The most common type of PHA is à PHB. 

PHB 

Polyhydroxyl buteric acid (better poly-3-hydroxybutyrate), 

is a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a polymer belonging 

to the polyesters class. PHB is produced by micro-organisms 

apparently in response to conditions of 

physiological stress. The polymer is primarily a product 

of carbon assimilation (from glucose or starch) and is 

employed by micro-organisms as a form of energy storage 

molecule to be metabolized when other common 

energy sources are not available. PHB has properties 

similar to those of PP, however it is stiffer and more 

brittle. 

PLA 

Polylactide, a bioplastic made of polymerised lactic 

acid. 

Saccharins or carbohydrates 

Saccharins or carbohydrates are name for the sugar-family. 

Saccharins are monomer or polymer sugar 

units. For example, there are known mono-, di- and 

polysaccharose. à glucose is a monosaccarin. They are 

important for the diet and produced biology in plants. 

Sorbitol 

Basics Glossary 

Sugar alcohol, obtained by reduction of glucose changing 

the aldehyde group to an additional hydroxyl group. S. is 

used as a plasticiser for bioplastics based on starch . 

Starch 

Natural polymer (carbohydrate) consisting of à amylose 

and à amylopectin, gained from maize, potatoes, wheat, 

tapioca etc. When glucose is connected to polymer-chains 

in definite way the result (product) is called starch. Each 

molecule is based on 300 -12000-glucose units. Depending 

on the connection, there are two types à amylose and 

à amylopectin known. 

Starch (-derivate) 

Starch (-derivates) are based on the chemical structure 

of à starch. The chemical structure can be changed by 

introducing new functional groups without changing the 

à starch polymer. The product has different chemical qualities. 

Mostly the hydrophilic character is not the same. 

Starch-ester 

One characteristic of every starch-chain is a free hydroxyl 

group. When every hydroxyl group is connect with ethan acid 

one product is starch-ester with different chemical properties. 

Starch propionate and starch butyrate 

Starch propionate and starch butyrate can be synthesised 

by treating the à starch with propane or butanic acid. The 

product structure is still based on à starch. Every based 

à glucose fragment is connected with a propionate or butyrate 

ester group. The product is more hydrophobic than 

à starch. 

Sustainable 

An attempt to provide the best outcomes for the human 

and natural environments both now and into the indefinite 

future. One of the most often cited definitions of sustainability 

is the one created by the Brundtland Commission, 

led by the former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem 

Brundtland. The Brundtland Commission defined sustainable 

development as development that ‘meets the needs of 

the present without compromising the ability of future generations 

to meet their own needs.’ Sustainability relates to 

the continuity of economic, social, institutional and environmental 

aspects of human society, as well as the non-human 

environment). 

Thermoplastics 

Plastics which soften or melt when heated and solidify 

when cooled (solid at room temperature). 

Yard Waste 

Grass clippings, leaves, trimmings, garden residue. 


Suppliers Guide 

1. Raw Materials 

1.3 PLA 

1.4 starch-based bioplastics 

4. Bioplastics products 

BASF SE 

Global Business Management 

Biodegradable Polymers 

Carl-Bosch-Str. 38 

67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany 

Tel. +49-621 60 43 878 

Fax +49-621 60 21 694 

info@basf.com 

www.ecovio.com 

1.1 bio based monomers 

Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. 

2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50 

CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex, 

Geneva, Switzerland 

Phone: + 41(0) 22 717 5428 

Fax: + 41(0) 22 717 5500 

jonathan.v.cohen@che.dupont.com 

www.packaging.dupont.com 

1.2 compounds 

BIOTEC Biologische 

Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG 

Werner-Heisenberg-Straße 32 

46446 Emmerich 

Germany 

Phone: +49 2822 92510 

Fax: +49 2822 51840 

info@biotec.de 

www.biotec.de 

Plantic Technologies GmbH 

Heinrich-Busold-Straße 50 

D-61169 Friedberg 

Germany 

Tel: +49 6031 6842 650 

Tel: +44 794 096 4681 (UK) 

Fax: +49 6031 6842 656 

info@plantic.eu 

www.plantic.eu 

Sukano Products Ltd. 

Chaltenbodenstrasse 23 

CH-8834 Schindellegi 

Phone +41 44 787 57 77 

Fax +41 44 787 57 78 

www.sukano.com 

1.7 reinforcing fibres/fillers 

made from RRM 

2. Additives / 

Secondary raw materials 

Du Pont de Nemours International S.A. 

2, Chemin du Pavillon, PO Box 50 

CH 1218 Le Grand Saconnex, 

Geneva, Switzerland 

Phone: + 41(0) 22 717 5428 

Fax: + 41(0) 22 717 5500 

jonathan.v.cohen@che.dupont.com 

www.packaging.dupont.com 

3. Semi finished products 

3.1 films 

alesco GmbH & Co. KG 

Schönthaler Str. 55-59 

D-52379 Langerwehe 

Sales Germany: +49 2423 402 110 

Sales Belgium: +32 9 2260 165 

Sales Netherlands: +31 20 5037 710 

info@alesco.net // www.alesco.net 

Arkhe Will Co., Ltd. 

19-1-5 Imaichi-cho, Fukui 

918-8152 Fukui, Japan 

Tel. +81-776 38 46 11 

Fax +81-776 38 46 17 

contactus@ecogooz.com 

www.ecogooz.com 

Forapack S.r.l 

Via Sodero, 43 

66030 Poggiofi orito (Ch), Italy 

Tel. +39-08 71 93 03 25 

Fax +39-08 71 93 03 26 

info@forapack.it 

www.forapack.it 

BIOTEC Biologische 

Naturverpackungen GmbH & Co. KG 

Werner-Heisenberg-Straße 32 

46446 Emmerich 

Germany 

Phone: +49 2822 92510 

Fax: +49 2822 51840 

info@biotec.de 

www.biotec.de 

FKuR Kunststoff GmbH 

Siemensring 79 

D - 47 877 Willich 

Tel.: +49 (0) 2154 9251-26 

Tel.: +49 (0) 2154 9251-51 

patrick.zimmermann@fkur.de 

www.fkur.de 

Transmare Compounding B.V. 

Ringweg 7, 6045 JL 

Roermond, The Netherlands 

Phone: +31 (0)475 345 900 

Fax: +31 (0)475 345 910 

info@transmare.nl 

www.compounding.nl 

1.5 PHA 

Telles, Metabolix – ADM joint venture 

650 Suffolk Street, Suite 100 

Lowell, MA 01854 USA 

Tel. +1-97 85 13 18 00 

Fax +1-97 85 13 18 86 

www.mirelplastics.com 

Tianan Biologic 

No. 68 Dagang 6th Rd, 

Beilun, Ningbo, China, 315800 

Tel. +86-57 48 68 62 50 2 

Fax +86-57 48 68 77 98 0 

enquiry@tianan-enmat.com 

www.tianan-enmat.com 

1.6 masterbatches 

PolyOne 

Avenue Melville Wilson, 2 

Zoning de la Fagne 

5330 Assesse 

Belgium 

Tel.: + 32 83 660 211 

info.color@polyone.com 

www.polyone.com 

Maag GmbH 

Leckingser Straße 12 

58640 Iserlohn 

Germany 

Tel.: + 49 2371 9779-30 

Fax: + 49 2371 9779-97 

shonke@maag.de 

www.maag.de 

www.earthfirstpla.com 

www.sidaplax.com 

www.plasticsuppliers.com 

Sidaplax UK : +44 (1) 604 76 66 99 

Sidaplax Belgium: +32 9 210 80 10 

Plastic Suppliers: +1 866 378 4178 

3.1.1 cellulose based films 

INNOVIA FILMS LTD 

Wigton 

Cumbria CA7 9BG 

England 

Contact: Andy Sweetman 

Tel.: +44 16973 41549 

Fax: +44 16973 41452 

andy.sweetman@innoviafilms.com 

www.innoviafilms.com 

Huhtamaki Forchheim 

Herr Manfred Huberth 

Zweibrückenstraße 15-25 

91301 Forchheim 

Tel. +49-9191 81305 

Fax +49-9191 81244 

Mobil +49-171 2439574 

natura Verpackungs GmbH 

Industriestr. 55 - 57 

48432 Rheine 

Tel.: +49 5975 303-57 

Fax: +49 5975 303-42 

info@naturapackaging.com 

www.naturapackagign.com 

Wiedmer AG - PLASTIC SOLUTIONS 

8752 Näfels - Am Linthli 2 

SWITZERLAND 

Phone: +41(0) 55 618 44 99 

Fax: +41(0) 55 618 44 98 

www.wiedmer-plastic.com 


4.1 trays 

Events 

5. Traders 

5.1 wholesale 

6. Machinery & Molds 

FAS Converting Machinery AB 

O Zinkgatan 1/ Box 1503 

27100 Ystad, Sweden 

Tel.: +46 411 69260 

www.fasconverting.com 

Molds, Change Parts and Turnkey 

Solutions for the PET/Bioplastic 

Container Industry 

284 Pinebush Road 

Cambridge Ontario 

Canada N1T 1Z6 

Tel.: +1 519 624 9720 

Fax: +1 519 624 9721 

info@hallink.com 

www.hallink.com 

MANN+HUMMEL ProTec GmbH 

Stubenwald-Allee 9 

64625 Bensheim, Deutschland 

Tel. +49 6251 77061 0 

Fax +49 6251 77061 510 

info@mh-protec.com 

www.mh-protec.com 

Sept. 9-10, 2008 


organized by bioplastics MAGAZINE 

Munich, Germany 

www.pla-world-congress.com 

Sept. 17, 2008 

BioPack 

The best way to understand biomaterials in packaging 

Gothenburg, Sweden 

www.packseminarier.se 

Sept. 18-19, 2008 

Innovation Takes Root 

A NatureWorks-sponsored technical conference on 

polylactide polymer innovation for real market solutions 

Las Vegas, USA 

www.innovationtakesroot.com 

Oct. 6-8, 2008 

The Future of Biopolymer Symposium 2008 

IntertechPira 

Chicago, IL, USA 

www.biopolymersummit.com 

7. Plant engineering 

Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH 

Holzhauser Str. 157 - 159 

13509 Berlin 

Germany 

Tel.: +49 (0)30 43567 5 

fax: +49 (0)30 43567 699 

sales.de@thyssenkrupp.com 

www.uhde-inventa-fischer.com 

8. Ancillary equipment 

9. Services 

10. Research institutes / 

Universities 

Simply contact: 

Tel.: +49-2359-2996-0 

or suppguide@bioplasticsmagazine.com 

Stay permanently listed in the Suppliers 

Guide with your company logo and contact 

information. 

For only 6,– EUR per mm, per issue you can 

be present among top suppliers in the field 

of bioplastics. 


BioKunststoffe 

Automobil von morgen 

Universität Duisburg-Essen, Germany 

www.hanser.de 


International Symposium on Polymers and the 

Environment: Emerging Technology And Science 

Co-Hosted by the BioEnvironmental Polymer Society 

and the Biodegradable Products Institute 

Radisson Hotel Nashua | Nashua, New Hampshire, USA 

http://www.beps.org/index.php?page=events 

Oct. 21, 2008 

Biodegradable Plastics 

International Conference during Expoquimia - Equiplast Fair 

Barcelona, Spain 

www.cep-inform.es/JornadaBio.pdf 

November 5-6, 2008 

3rd European Bioplastics Conference 

Hotel Maritim | Berlin, Germany 

www.european-bioplastics.org 

December 3-4, 2008 

Bioplastics 2008 

with Bioplastics Awards 

Sofitel Munich | Munich, Germany 

www.prw.com 

You can meet us! 

Please contact us in advance by e-mail. 


Companies in this issue 

Company Editorial Advert 

Alcan 10 

Alcoa 5 

Alesco 34 

Arkema 19 

Arkhe Will 10, 21, 28 34 

BASF 5, 10 34 

Ben‘s Land 23,27 

Biograde 7 

BioPearls 10 

bioplastics 24 13,15 

Biotec 34 

Brückner Maschinenbau 10 

Cereplast 5, 10 2 

CL Chemical Fiber 27 

Clariant Masterbatches 10 

Codiceasbarre 23 

Coopbox 10 

Designtex 23 

DS Fiber 27 

DuPont 9, 10, 30 34 

Easy Gardener 27 

European Bioplastics 8, 12 

European Plastics News 31 

Faribault Mills 23 

FAS Converting Machinery 35 

FET 27 

FH Hannover 10 

FIT 27 

FkuR 10 34 

Forapack 34 

Fox River 23 

Fraunhofer ICT 16 

Company Editorial Advert 

Fujitsu 18 

Gattinoni 1, 3, 23 

Genpak 5 

Hallink 35 

Hiroshima University 6 

Huhtamaki 34 

Huvis 27 

Innovia 9 34 

Innoware 5 

Intertech Pira 13, 15 

Labcon North America 14 

Linda Loudermilk 23 

Maag 10 34 

Mann + Hummel Protech 35 

Mazda 6 

Messe Düsseldorf 8, 12 

Michigan State University 10 

Mohawk Industries 32 

Mondi 8 

Moral Fervor 23 

Novamont 40 

natura packaging 34 

Naturevsfuture 23 

NatureWorks 10, 12, 

22, 24, 26 

Nokia 6 

Palmetto Synthetics 27 

PIEP Pólo de Inovação em Engenharia de Polímeros 10 

Plantic 6, 9 34 

plasticker 13 

Polyfilms 10 

PolyOne 10 34 

Principia 7 

Purac Biochem 10 

Rianne de Witte 23 

Samsung 19 

Sidaplax 10 34 

Sony 20 

Sukano 34 

Sulzer Chemtech 10 

TCKT - Transfercenter für Kunststofftechnik 10 

Tecnaro 16 

Telles 14 34 

Tianan Biologic 34 

Toyo Seikan Kaisha 10 

Transmare 34 

Uhde Inventa Fischer 5, 10 35 

Universität Kassel 10 

Valor Brand 27 

Wageningen University Research Centre 10 

Wiedmer 34 

Next Issue 

For the next issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE 

(among others) the following subjects are scheduled: 

Topics: 

Bottles, Labels, Caps 

2 nd Generation Bioplastics 

Basics: 

LCA 

Next issues: 

05/08 September 2008 

06/08 November 2008 

01/09 January/February 2009 


A new world requires a new way of thinking 

In a world where depletion of natural resources is an ever growing concern, compostable packaging is rapidly 

gaining ground as the sensible alternative to its traditional counterparts. In this relatively new industry, Natura 

Packaging has been at the forefront from the beginning, providing the world with sustainable packaging solutions 

since 1995. A dedicated service provider, we translate packaging questions into practical answers - from 

preliminary counsellingto actual product delivery. So go for a new way of thinking. Enjoy the benefits of unrivalled 

experience. Choose Natura Packaging. 

Innovation in packaging 

natura Verpackungs GmbH 

Industriestrasse 55-5 

D - 48432 RHEINE 

Phone +44 (0)1923/815-600 

Phone +49 5975 303 57 

Fax +49 5975 303 42 

Email info@naturapackaging.com 

Internet www.naturapackaging.com

A real sign 

of sustainable 

development. 

There is such a thing as genuinely sustainable development. 

Since 1989, Novamont researchers have been working on 

an ambitious project that combines the chemical industry, 

agriculture and the environment: "Living Chemistry for 

Quality of Life". Its objective has been to create products 

with a low environmental impact. The result of Novamont's 

innovative research is the new bioplastic Mater-Bi ® . 

Mater-Bi ® is a family of materials, completely biodegradable 

and compostable which contain renewable raw materials such as starch and 

vegetable oil derivates. Mater-Bi ® performs like traditional plastics but it saves 

energy, contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect and at the end of its life 

cycle, it closes the loop by changing into fertile humus. Everyone's dream has 

become a reality. 

Living Chemistry for Quality of Life. 

www.novamont.com 

Inventor of the year 2007 

Mater-Bi ® : certified biodegradable and compostable.

04 | 2008

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