UK materials innovator Xampla has announced it is working with global chemicals manufacturer DIC Group to introduce its PFAS and plastic-free Morro Coatings to Japan and Asian countries.
Morro Coatings are described as the first natural polymers made from plants to enter the Asian packaging market. The move will help Japanese packaging manufacturers replace plastic and PFAS coatings across foodservice packaging formats and attract customers looking for plastic-free coating options.Â
Based on 15+ years of research at the University of Cambridge, Morro materials are a patented technology. They are made from plants and are home compostable, biodegradable in all environments, and suitable for recycling. Morro Coatings are said to have ‘excellent’ grease and water barriers, are heat sealable for applications such as sachets, and are suited to the hot environments of commercial kitchens. Â
Xampla explained that demand for biomaterials in packaging has increased around the world. With the Plastic Resource Circulation Act, the Japanese government has set targets to drive the transition to a circular economy, including reducing the amount of single-use plastic products by 25% by 2030 and boosting the amount of biomaterials in the supply chain to two million tonnes by 2030.
Alexandra French, CEO at Xampla, said, “It’s a privilege to be working with DIC to tackle the problem of PFAS and single-use plastic pollution by introducing our PFAS and plastic-free Morro Coatings into Japan. As a global leader in the chemicals industry, their exceptional operational standards will help scale Morro production in Asia and support the foodservice sector to quickly adopt PFAS-free and plastic-free packaging.”
Takeo Ikeda, manager of CVC group at DIC Corporation, added, “Japan is becoming a leader in combating PFAS and plastic pollution and DIC is always looking to innovate new solutions to solve this problem. Our ‘5R’ approach – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Redesign, Renew – is realising a circular economy by incorporating environmentally-friendly materials into our packaging solutions, with Xampla’s Morro Coatings a perfect fit for us.”
