Today’s portfolio of commercially available biosynthetic fibers includes PLA (Polylactic Acid), partially biobased PTT (Polytrimethylene Terephthalate), partially biobased PET (polyester), PA11 (Nylon/Polyamide 11) along with a number of bio alternatives to PA6,10, PA10,10 and PA10,12.
Companies are also working on developing new technologies for commercially producing biobased aromatic chemicals – the basic building blocks for making both nylons and polyesters for apparel – from renewable feedstocks. Successful scale up and commercial production of these biobased chemicals would enable future production of 100% bio based synthetic polymers.
BIOSYNTHETICS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
| PET (Polyester) | PLA (Polylactic Acid) | PTT (Polytrimethylene Terephthalate) | PA11 (Polyamide 11) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bio Content |
Partially Bio = Commercial 100% Bio = Scale Up |
100% Bio = Commercial |
Partially Bio = Commercial |
100% Bio = Commercial |
| Feedstock |
Starch / Sugar |
Starch / Sugar |
Starch / Sugar |
Lipid/Castor Oil |
| Chemistry |
Ethylene Glycol (EG) + Terephthalic Acid (TPA) |
Lactic Acid |
100% Bio 1,3-Propanediol (PDO) + Terephthalic Acid (TPA) |
11 – Aminoundecanoic Acid |
| Product (Supplier) |
ecodear®PET (Toray) Non branded (Far Eastern New Century) |
Ingeo (NatureWorks) |
Sorona® (DuPont) |
Rilsan® (Arkema) EVO® (Fulgar) |
Yes |
No |
Predominantly drop in |
Yes |
|
Recycled (through existing PET recycling infrastructures) |
TBC |
Recyclable within PTT streams |
Limited Options |