Alternative plastics: TOP9 most innovative suppliers

Single-use plastics, the words evoke thoughts and concerns about pollution and unsustainable practices.

According to OECD, in 2019, the world produced 460 million tonnes of plastics, of which 352 million tonnes became plastic waste. This means 76% of plastic produced ends up being waste.

Every year, 400 000 to 1 million people in developing countries die annually from illnesses related to toxic fume emitted from burning plastic waste. And 100 000 marine mammals die each year due to ingestion of plastic or entanglement in debris.

Plastics on the beach, a quite common scene over the past decades (Source)

The hassle outweighs the fascination for a material that was once hailed as a "scientific wonder" just over a century ago.

“It is the worst of times but it is the best of times, because we still have a chance” Sylvia Earle, oceanographer

It is urgent and important that our societies find alternative solutions to single-use plastics.

One of the driving forces is indeed the alternative materials suppliers, who offer alternative solutions to our addiction to plastics.

In this article, you’ll find the top 9 innovative suppliers of alternative materials for single-use plastics all across the globe, as well as their innovations and solutions.

1. Nanya Polyester - Taiwan 🇹🇼

° Description: Nanya Polyester is the top global manufacturer of recyclable ester pellets and high-performance fibers. ° Key sectors and products: filament, pet resin, staple fiber, fabric. Their alternative solutions include: ˗ Recycled PET solution ˗ Bio-based PET ˗ Biodegradable PET ˗ Dope-dyed PET ˗ Recycled PET resin for bottles ˗ Bio-based PET bottle resin ˗ Biodegradable fiber ˗ Waste cloth recycling black fiber ˗ Biodegradable dobby ˗ Bio-PET PFC free W/R ˗ Biodegradable wicking jacquard ˗ 100% RE-PET good color fastness ° For more information Nanya

2. Asahi Kasei - Japan 🇯🇵

° Description: Asahi Kasei Corp. specializes in the development of fiber products, chemicals, and materials related to electronics. ° Key sectors and products: material sector, environmental solutions, mobility and industrial. Their alternative solutions for packaging include: ˗ SunForce™: Biobased polyamide resin ˗ Bemberg™ cupro fiber: Biobased regenerated cellulose fiber ° For more information: Asahi Kasei

3. Carbios - France 🇫🇷

° Description: Carbios aspires to establish itself as a frontrunner in the expanding r-PET (recycled PET) market by adopting a licensing model and targeting a market share of 8 to 12% by 2035. ° Key sectors and products: enzymes and enzymatic recycling, r-PET (i.e: recycled PET). Their alternative solutions include: ˗ recycling of all types of PET waste ˗ production of 100% recycled and 100% recyclable PET products ° For more information: Carbios

4. Sabic - Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦

° Description: SABIC, a publicly traded company based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is among the global giants in the petrochemicals manufacturing sector. While 70% of the company's shares are owned by Saudi Aramco, the remaining 30% are publicly traded on the Saudi stock exchange. ° Key products: polymer solutions for automotive, foam/lightweight, and pipe applications, providing alternatives to traditional materials like wood, cotton, and glass in various consumer and industrial products. Their alternative solutions include bio-based plastics: ˗ EXTEM™ Resin VH1003F: high-performance thermoplastic resin incorporates biobased content derived from renewable feedstocks ˗ NORYL™ SA90: High-performance biobased thermoplastic ˗ NORYL™ GTX™ 920: Biobased high-temperature thermoplastic

5. An Phat Bioplastics - Vietnam 🇻🇳

° Description: Southeast Asia’s No. 1 producer and exporter of compostable thin monolayer film ° Key products: bio-compostable end products such as bags, gloves, knives, forks, straws, and agricultural films, all of which can decompose within 6 to 12 months period in nature or industrial burial. Their alternative solutions include: ˗ AnEco compostable bags ˗ AnEco compostable knives, spoons, forks and straws ˗ AnEco compostable gloves ˗ AnEco compostable agricultural films ° For more information: An Phat Bioplastics

6. Avantium - The Netherlands 🇳🇱

° Description: Avantium, based in Amsterdam, is focused on the development and commercialization of innovative technologies that enable the production of chemicals from renewable sources. ° Key products: their flagship product, PEF, is a plant-based plastic material that offers a compelling blend of environmental benefits and performance characteristics. Their alternative solutions include: ˗ PEF bottles ˗ PEF fibers ˗ PEF films ˗ PlantMEG™: a chemical building block for PET or PEF resin for bottles and packaging ° For more information: Avantium

7. Incom Resources Recovery - China 🇨🇳

° Description: Incom Resources Recovery is a Chinese circular economy pilot unit. Annually, it processes 50,000 tons of waste PET beverage bottles, generating 30,000 tons of clean polyester chips and 20,000 tons of ultra-clean polyester chips. ° Key products: recycling waste PET beverage bottles to produce ˗ rPET-Clean polyester flakes ˗ rPET-Ultra-clean polyester pellets ° For more information: Incom Resources Recovery

8. RWDC Industries - Singapore and The United States 🇺🇸

° Description: RWDC Industries is a biotech company dedicated to substituting petroleum-derived materials with secure and environmentally friendly alternatives. Their mission centers around developing sustainable solutions to replace traditional petroleum-based materials. ° Key products: Solon™, a type of PHA (or polyhydroxylalkanoate) which is biodegradable and can be used for cutlery, cups, bags, plates, and bowls. ° For more information: RWDC Industries

9. Puro Renewables - The United States 🇺🇸

° Description: Puro Renewables uses biowaste (oysters’ shells, agave leaves etc.) to produce alternative materials to plastics. ° Key products: their solution can be used in direct and indirect food and beverage packaging. Their innovations include: ˗ Agaveplast™: Plant-based resin alternative ˗ Oysterplast™: Oyster-derived plastic material ˗ Puroplast™: Practical and affordable plastic ° For more information: Puro Renewables

💡 Find more suppliers for global alternative plastics, across different industries and countries here at tocco.earth