Toray produces first biobased PET fibre
Japanese industrial group Toray Industries has reported that it has succeeded in producing laboratory-scale samples of the world’s first fully renewable biobased PET fibre by using fully renewable biobased PET derived from biobased para-xylene from Gevo.
Toray then used terephthalic acid synthesised from Gevo’s biobased para-xylene and commercially available renewable mono ethylene glycol (MEG) as raw materials, and successfully produced the PET samples by applying a new technology and PET polymerisation earlier this year. Toray used this technology to produce its new fibre.
“This biobased PET has exhibited properties equivalent to petro-based PET in laboratory conditions,” a statement from Toray said. “The success is proof that polyester fibre can be industrially produced from fully renewable biomass feedstock alone.”
“This is a significant step that would contribute to the realisation of a sustainable, low-carbon society.”
Toray is planning to exhibit the samples at the Eco-Products 2011 fair, held at The Tokyo Big Sight in December.
