March 27, 2025 – Amid the global wave of sustainability, the packaging industry is actively pursuing innovations and applications of eco-friendly materials. Biobased and biodegradable materials, with their remarkable environmental friendliness, are emerging as the new darlings of the packaging sector. Recently, NatureWorks, a giant in biomaterial manufacturing, announced a significant breakthrough with the launch of the Ingeo™ Extend platform and the Ingeo Extend 4950D product, revolutionizing the production of biaxially oriented polylactic acid (BOPLA) films.
The Ingeo Extend 4950D, the latest addition to the Ingeo™ PLA polymer platform, has demonstrated impressive performance in BOPLA film production. This new product enables equipment originally used for producing polymers like polypropylene to achieve up to a 7-fold increase in transverse stretching, significantly enhancing production efficiency and reducing costs. In applications such as coffee capsules, candy packaging, and single-serving food bags, Ingeo Extend 4950D offers innovative solutions for optimizing production processes and controlling costs.
According to industry insights from AsiaMB, Ingeo Extend 4950D also excels in degradation performance. Compared to existing PLA grades, products under the Ingeo Extend platform exhibit up to an 8-fold increase in composting degradation speed. Furthermore, Ingeo Extend 4950D can be blended with other Ingeo PLA grades, allowing for flexible control of the degradation rate of biaxially oriented films by adjusting the addition amount. This characteristic is of great significance in addressing the environmental pollution issue caused by traditional plastic packaging waste.
In terms of film performance, Ingeo Extend 4950D similarly shines. When the sealing layer content reaches 15%, the film’s sealing effect is significantly enhanced. Additionally, the new BOPLA films made from Ingeo Extend 4950D exhibit good heat resistance, transparency, and mechanical properties, with low shrinkage, effectively protecting food and extending its shelf life.
With the rapid growth in global demand for compostable flexible films and food packaging, the emergence of Ingeo Extend platform technology undoubtedly provides the market with a cost-effective and high-performance solution. This technology is particularly suitable for packaging products that carry food residue and are difficult to recycle on a large scale, such as seasoning packets, snack, and candy packaging.
Moreover, the use of Ingeo compostable packaging brings significant environmental benefits. Studies have shown that replacing fossil-based plastics with Ingeo can reduce the carbon footprint of packaging by an average of 73%. Additionally, using food residue for composting can effectively reduce methane emissions and produce soil conditioners that improve soil structure. HYDRA marine scientific research has also confirmed that Ingeo PLA does not produce persistent microplastics in the environment, further highlighting its environmental value.