BIOPLASTICS | MATERIALS
A new lignin-based polymer, a commercial roll-out of PHA straws, faster-degrading PLA and a PLA ‘cooling film’ for buildings are among recent bioplastics applications
Growing market: latest advances in bioplastics
Applications in bioplastics are growing fast, with many converters now offering bio-based versions of conventional products. In one recent example, Scanfill of Sweden has
begun offering Degrafoil Flow 1.7 – a thermoform- able film made of Flow 1.7, from Finnish company Sulapac.
Flow 1.7 incorporates around 20% wood flour
from industrial side streams into different biode- gradable biopolymers, including polylactic acid (PLA). It supplies this to Scanfill as granules. The material can be used as a direct replacement for conventional polymers such as polystyrene and PET. Scanfill says Degrafoil Flow 1.7 products have a
smooth, fibre-like surface that “feels distinct from conventional plastic”. The product can be coloured in many ways but is not available as a transparent grade.
It is available in widths up to 1450 mm and thicknesses 350-1200 microns. “With Degrafoil Flow 1.7, our clients can
respond to demands for renewable content and
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reduced carbon footprint while continuing busi- ness as usual,” said Karl Banke, sustainability specialist and technical support at Scanfill. Degrafoil Flow 1.7 is made at Scanfill’s facility in southern Sweden following the requirements for food contact materials.
Wood-based thermoforming Primex has introduced a line of bio-based wood- plastic composite sheet to the US market. The material, called Prime Sulapac – developed by Sulapac – is a combination of wood from industrial side streams and biodegradable biopoly- mers. This gives the aesthetic appeal of natural fibre products with the durability and functionality of plastics – and can be used for thermoforming and other applications. Prime Sulapac sheets for thermoforming have a high bio-based content and are industrially com- postable. The material has a low carbon footprint and can be mechanically recycled, helping to minimise waste. It leaves no persistent microplastics
Main image: Scanfill’s new thermoforming film is made from Sulapac’s Flow 1.7 PLA-based material
July/August 2025 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 13
IMAGE: SCANFILL
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