Celys polyester receives “Compostable Certificate” from BPI
Good news comes again. Our Celys polyester staple fibre has finally got the “Compostable Certificate” from BPI early this month, with a certificate #:10529267-1. This is the second compostable certificate our Celys polyester fibre holds since it was formally launched earlier this year.
This certificate will help our sales in the US and Canada markets since some potential customers there have already been waiting for it. We are aiming to get a GreenPla certificate from Japan BioPlastics Association (JBPA) next.
In terms of synthetic biodegradable plastics, PLA, PBAT, PBS, PCL and so on are the typical examples. Without exemption, all of them are polyesters. The fundamental reason is that the ester bonds in their backbones are susceptible to hydrolytic cleavages catalysed either by acid or alkaline, or by enzymes secreted by microorganisms.
The cleavage of the polymer chains results in the formation of small molecules such as oligomers, dimers, and monomers, which are subsequently assimilated by microorganisms and finally converted to CO2, water and biomass in the presence of oxygen. Other kind of polymers, such as polyamide, polycarbonate, polyurethane, contain similar heteroatoms in their backbones though, their cleavage rates are much slower compared to that of ester. This may explain why other typed biodegradable polymers are rarely seen.
PET is the most popular polyester in the family of polyester. Due to its aromatic nature it does not biodegrade. On the contrary, its aromatic characteristic imparts it superior physical and mechanical properties, makes it widely used in many areas, especially in textile industry. Among the aforementioned several synthetic biodegradable polyesters, only PLA is able to be used in textile.
Nevertheless due to its poor physical and mechanical properties, the case of its application in textile is rare. On the contrary, our Celys polyester fibre has compatible physical and mechanical properties to PET, in some areas our Celys polyester fibre is superior, such as in terms of hydrophilicity and dyeability.
Many brands are developing new series of products using Celys polyester to replace PET at the moment, and are planning to launch it mid or later next year.
