Toyobo made an agreement with Avantium (Amsterdam, Holland) to produce a 100% bio-based resin PEF (polyethylene furanoate). Avantium will produce the PEF by polymerizing furandicarboxylic acid produced from carbohydrate raw materials with bio-based ethylene glycol. Toyobo will start supplying samples from 2017 and explore its market. Although characteristics of PEF are similar to those of PET, PEF has superior barrier performance to PET when formed into film or a bottle. Compared with PET, PEF film has 10 times higher resistance to oxygen, and twice higher resistance to water vapor. Toyobo will first set out to use the PEF for packaging film of high-class ingredients.

JCFA News Letter (No.13) November, 2016/Japan Chemical Fibers Association