Top 6 candidates nominated for Innovation Award Bio-based Material of the Year 2016

For the ninth year in a row, the Innovation Award Bio-based Material of the Year will be awarded to the bio-based material industry, finding suitable applications and markets for bio-based products. The competition focuses on new developments in these areas, which have had (or will have) a market launch in 2015 or 2016.

This year, six bio-based materials and products have been nominated for the award by the advisory board—out of more than 20 submitted products. The nominated companies are from the USA, Germany, Belgium, the UK and Sweden.

In a ten-minute presentation, each of the six companies will introduce its innovation. The three winners will be elected by the participants of the International Conference on Bio-based Materials, 5 – 6 April 2016 in Cologne, Germany, and awarded with a prize, sponsored by InfraServ GmbH & Co. Knapsack KG. The Top 6 candidates are:

1. Amyris Inc. (USA): Myralene-10 – A sustainably sourced and cost-competitive solvent made from β-farnesene

Myralene-10 is a new, sustainably sourced, cost-competitive solvent made from β-farnesene that Amyris produces in Brazil on a commercial scale by fermentation of sugarcane juice using special strains of baker's yeast. It is a low vapour pressure non-VOC solvent with superior solvating and degreasing power, excellent thermal, oxidative and hydrolytic stability, low odour, no colour, a favourable viscosity profile and readily biodegradable. It is non-toxic and has superior Environmental, Health & Safety (EH&S) and flammability safety profile. With regulatory approval in the USA (TSCA) and the EU (REACH) and USDA Biobased Product Certification, it was launched commercially in 2015. The first product line containing it is the Muck Daddy family of waterless hand cleaners and wipes.

2. Covestro Deutschland AG (Germany): Impranil eco – Bio-based waterborne polyurethane dispersions for textile coatings

Sustainability has an increasing impact on the product and raw-material purchasing decisions of consumers and brand owners. Covestro has developed a technology to raise the content of renewable resources in polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) up to 65 %. This makes new levels of sustainability possible for PU synthetic materials (footwear, garment, accessories…). Thanks to this development, it is now possible to produce coated textiles with high performance and low content of fossil-based raw materials in each layer. The key benefits are: 43 – 65 % renewable carbon content, not in direct competition with the food chain; can be used in every layer of the production of synthetic materials or coated textiles; drop-in of existing Impranil PUD types, i.e. low reformulation efforts.

 3. Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH (Germany): Rewoferm SL 446 – A sophorolipid-type biosurfactant

Rewoferm SL 446 is a sophorolipid-type biosurfactant. It is made by fermentation with a natural, non-GMO yeast using European sourced sugar and oil feedstock. Due to its environmentally benign production process, Rewoferm SL 446 has a low carbon footprint and a Renewable Carbon Index (RCI) of 100 %. It exhibits a good toxicological and eco-toxicological profile and is completely biodegradable. It is compliant with European Ecolabel requirements. It also behaves as a super-mild surfactant to the skin. Replacement of petro-chemically based surfactants by Rewoferm SL 446 boosts the foaming and the grease removal efficacy in hand dish wash formulations. Thus, it is possible to increase both the performance and the ecological footprint of your cleaning formulations.

 4. Orineo BVBA (Belgium): Touch of Nature – Filled bio-based resin for stimulating biomaterials

Orineo has developed a new range of biomaterials based on 80 % waste coffee grounds. The products are designed for a 20 years’ lifetime. Branded as Touch of Nature, these materials are said to look good, feel good and perform well. The company also processes used cork stoppers, berry seeds or olive leaves to obtain a range of colours and patterns based on nature. Furthermore, Orineo offers liquid bio-based formulations for seamless floors, tabletops and furniture based on these sidestreams.

 5. Sip Ltd (UK): Sipdrill RS – First renewable, hydrocarbon drilling base fluid for high performance drilling mud systems

Sipdrill RS is renewable alkene designed specifically for use in high performance drilling mud systems. Sipdrill RS is 100 % hydrocarbon, manufactured via the proprietary fermentation of sustainable sugar, producing farnesane, ß-farnesene and n-hexadecene. Designed to meet exacting physical and eco-toxicological performance requirements, Sipdrill RS exists in two forms; Sipdrill RS (North Sea), >73 % wt. renewable and Sipdrill RS (GoM) >85 % wt. renewable. Sipdrill RS has been shown to perform exceptionally well in drilling muds, whilst exhibiting very low toxicity characteristics as mandated by the US EPA and CEFAS. Sipdrill RS is thought to be the first 100 % renewable, hydrocarbon drilling base fluid and will begin sale in the fourth quarter of 2016.

 6. Tetra Pak International S.A. (SE): Tetra Rex Bio-based – A fully renewable package for chilled liquid food

Tetra Pak’s biotechnology innovation, Tetra Rex Bio-based, launched in 2015 is a significant industry achievement in sustainable packaging. Said to be the world’s first fully renewable package for chilled liquid food, the material is produced from nothing but renewable, recyclable and traceable FSCTM certified packaging and bio-based (bio-ethanol) plastic derived entirely from sugarcane. Full traceability of the carton’s origins assures consumers, setting it apart from mass balance solutions. Following European market success, 100 million packs are expected to be delivered globally in 2016.