Sulapac materials can replace conventional plastics in endless applications. They have a low carbon footprint and they are circular by design. Unlike conventional plastics, the bio-based and biodegradable Sulapac materials are safe for people and the planet: they leave no microplastic or toxic load behind, yet they meet the quality standards of the world’s most prestigious luxury brands.
Sulapac materials enable significant reductions in CO2 emissions helping companies to reach their climate targets while elevating the customer experience.
The bio-based and biodegradable Sulapac materials leave no persistent microplastics or toxic substances behind. They are certified industrially or home compostable.
Sulapac materials are made with recycled content and side stream raw materials. They can be both mechanically and chemically recycled.
Sulapac materials are converted into products with existing plastic processing machinery, enabling a practical and resource efficient transition towards a cleaner future.
Our materials are designed to address the harmful environmental impacts of oil-based plastics – namely global warming and (micro)plastic pollution. We exist to enable a cleaner future and a healthier living environment for all species.
While our business is fundamentally built on sustainability, we recognize our responsibility to continuously reduce the climate impact and environmental footprint of our own operations.
At the same time, we are committed to constantly optimizing our products to maximize their positive effects on the planet and to increase the volumes sold — ultimately enabling the replacement of even larger amounts of conventional plastic.
Read about our renewed sustainability strategy here.
Plastics account for 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The production of oil-based plastic is estimated to double in the next 25 years further increasing the atmospheric CO2 burden and accelerating climate change. Industries relying on oil-based plastic need sustainable low carbon alternatives like Sulapac.
Sulapac materials are composed of 55% to 100% certified bio-based ingredients. Hence, they allow for the substitution of fossil-based carbon with biogenic carbon, a crucial step to keep the natural carbon cycle in balance.
Our current CFP calculations are based on the assumption that the biopolymers used are first-generation feedstock. However, majority of the Sulapac material grades can already be manufactured using recycled biopolymers. This results in even lower carbon footprint. The life cycle assessment for selected Sulapac materials with recycled content is ongoing, and we can’t wait to share the results!
The results are based on confidential, application-specific study by a customer. Therefore, only difference in percentage is presented to compare the materials and support decision-making.
Sulapac materials are made with 70–100% biobased raw materials – and we’re not stopping there. Our goal is to have all our core portfolio materials made from 100% biobased ingredients by 2035.
So, what biobased ingredients do we use? Firstly, we use wood chips and wood flour from industrial side streams as natural fillers. Our other main raw material group is biodegradable, biobased biopolymers, including high-performance polylactic acid supplied by TotalEnergies Corbion. Their Luminy® PLA is based on ethically farmed, GMO-free sugarcane and produced in an EcoVadis Platinum-certified facility.
Along with maximizing the use of biobased ingredients, we’re also committed to increasing the share of non-first generation feedstock. Part of the biopolymers we use are recycled (based on the mass balance allocation method), and our wood is always second-generation feedstock.
Together with our suppliers, customers, and partners we’re advancing the use of recycled content and further enabling the recyclability of Sulapac and other biobased, biodegradable materials. With each closed-loop project, every tonne of Sulapac recovered, and every truckload of recycled content ordered, we’re paving the way toward a fully circular bioeconomy.
Nature knows best. That’s why we design Sulapac materials to mimic the beauty, functionality, and circularity of nature.
1) USDA Bio-based certification for most recipes. Certification info available in the technical data sheet of each material.
2)Depending on the material grade, Sulapac materials show 49,7–100% relative biodegradation into CO2 in 420 days or less in simulated marine environment (30C)(ASTM D6691). Sulapac Universal also tested according to ASTM 5511 (accelerated biodegradation in the landfill, 37C): reached 68% relative biodegradation in 160 days.
3) For example, 0,09 kg CO2eq/kg for Sulapac Universal (Cradle-to-gate LCA screening performed by an independent third-party consultancy). The corresponding value for polypropylene is 1,7 kg CO2eq/kg. The value for each material can be found within the individual material descriptions.
4) Can be recycled through hydrolysis back to monomers, suitable as feedstock for recycled biopolymers. Chemical recyclability of Sulapac (excluding Barrier and Heat recipes) has been tested and proven technically feasible by a third-party industrial company. Field tests have also verified that Sulapac materials can be collected and sorted out of a mixed waste stream. When collected together, Sulapac materials do not interfere with the current mechanical recycling of conventional fossil-based or bio-based non-biodegradable plastics. The technology for chemical recycling of bio-based and biodegradable materials exists, but the infrastructure is still under development.
5) Our wood originates from certified forests. We always follow our strict Policy for Sustainable Sourcing.
6) Ecotoxicity and threshold values for heavy metals tested according to EN 13432. All raw materials comply with the food contact requirements of the EU legislation.
7) Sulapac Solid and straw made of Sulapac Flow 1.7 have been tested for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by an independent laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025 certified) based on CEN/TS 15968 test method; No PFAS were detected.
8) BPI and/or Seedling certificate for most recipes. Certification info available in the technical data sheet of each material.
Deep dive into our material features and learn about the scientific criteria and validation behind our statements.
The Sulapac material portfolio includes a range of sustainable materials for injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming, and 3D printing.
Replace conventional plastic with the beautiful, functional and sustainable Sulapac material. We will help you to make the switch smoothly.