Advansa, headquartered in Hamm, Germany, is launching ADVAterra – a biodegradable polyester fibre made from 100% recycled feedstock which can be degraded by microorganisms in biologically active environments.

The ADVAterra fibres originating from 100% post-consumer PET bottles are engineered via proprietary modifications to provide biodegradation capabilities without sacrificing the favourable mechanical properties of PET.

The new fibre is available as water dispersible short cut fibre for the paper and wetlaid nonwovens industies as well as staple fibre for drylaid nonwovens and tow for the flock industry in various finenesses and cut length combinations. It can be used in production across diverse end-use applications, even for applications with food contact.

Products made from ADVAterra have the same properties as conventional non-biodegradable standard fibres and can be processed just as easily, minimising environmental consequences without sacrificing quality and performance.

In addition, the fibre is suitable for recycling after completing its lifecycle. According to the company’s laboratory studies based on the STM D5511 test scheme, ADVAterra is expected to biodegrade to between 30-60% within 12 months – a degradation rate comparable to some natural fibre materials which may take from some months to few years. Degradation rates, however, strongly depend on individual factors such as temperature, moisture, surface area, exposure of the final article in the soil, types of microorganisms etc.

www.advansa.com