What bio-based materials are Apple, McDonald's, Chanel, BMW all using?
Due to the environmental protection of bio-based materials, leading companies in various fields have begun to develop bio-based materials to replace fossil materials from the perspective of environmental protection and brand image. Next, let's take a look at the bio-based products launched by these international brands.
Apple: Using bio-based materials on iPhone's glass support frame
According to Apple's official website, Apple aims to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2030. The use of bio-based materials for the glass support frame was first mentioned back in December 2018 when the iPhone XS was released. To meet Apple's biomaterial requirements, French supplier Arkema provided bio-based polyamide (PA) parts. There is only one company in the world that can industrialize bio-based polyamides.
McDonald's: Starts trial of clear cups from recycled plastic and bio-based materials
According to McDonald's, the cups used in these tests are made of post-consumer plastic (PCR) and bio-based materials (from plants, and edible oils after restaurant use), resulting in clear plastic cups. The cups are already available to customers at dozens of McDonald's restaurants in Georgia.
Chanel: Introducing new bio-based closures
Chanel launched a very popular fragrance in 2018 - Les Eaux De Chanel, the bottle of this perfume is lighter, and the outer packaging has no unnecessary coating, which is conducive to subsequent packaging recycling.
And recently, Chanel has been thinking about perfume caps, launching a cap that is 91% bio-based, sourced from renewable raw materials or FSC-certified materials. The bio-based cap was developed over two years by Chanel and the Finnish company Sulapac. Although it is a bio-based bottle cap, its process is still not simple. The bottle cap has a three-layer structure. The sound of holding and closing has been optimized through relevant experiments. After 48 repeated attempts, the final product was obtained.
BMW: Start using bio-based interiors in cars
With BMW's growing demand for bio-based interiors and accessories, BMW has partnered with startups to start mass-producing these interiors.
One of the cooperating start-ups is Adriano di Marti, a Mexican company that produces cactus-based materials for the automotive industry, consisting of powdered cactus fibers and a bio-based polyurethane substrate. The BMW Group is working with the company to use cactus-based leather in the steering wheel and interior trim of cars.
"We believe that our cactus-based bio-based material can gradually replace traditional cowhide and make a significant contribution to the sustainability of the automotive industry," said founders Marte Cázarez and Adrián López Velarde.
It is understood that the company's cultivated cactus fields absorb 8,100 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year. These cacti do not require irrigation and do not produce wastewater. Unlike cowhide, leather made from cacti does not require the use of chemicals for traditional tanning, and it does not produce methane gas that pollutes the environment when animals grow up.
