Companies from Invista to Genomatica from BASF to Cargill and Novozymes are making biopased polymers designed to replace the synthetic materials used to make clothing, shoes, diapers and a range of other products made from petroleum.
The “revolution” will proceed slowly, though, and there is a chance they may end up being mere curiosities. There is a shortage of raw materials and a deeply entrenched supply train defaults to petroleum based products.
Ronald F. Cascone, a principal at advisory firm Nexant,” says consumer product firms won’t get ahead of their consumers on this; manufacturers therefore will be very cautious. “Brand owners say they want the materials, but they are not going to buy the intermediate; someone else has to buy it and convert it,” he says.
Invista, one of the companies taking the plunge, says its tiptoeing into the market. Its opening a supply channel for biobased raw materials in the hopes that the materials will ultimately prove both more sustainable and cheaper.
“We believe biotechnology has the potential to significantly improve the cost and availability of several chemicals and raw materials that we use to produce our products,” says a spokesman for the company.
Hmm clothing from plants? What next cotton, flax (linen), hessian and fig leaves?