TEL-AVIV, Israel— May 11, 2021 — A new collaboration has been established between Avgol®, producer of spunlaid nonwoven fabrics, and Algaeing™, a textile innovation company that invented and patented algae biobased formulations for colorants and fibers.
The parties will first focus on the use of Algaeing’s unique environmental solution for modifying the aesthetic qualities of materials with Avgol’s ongoing commitment to sustainable polyolefin based spunbond and meltblown fabrics.
Algaeing’s technologies utilize various algae species to produce a wide range of appealing colors, many of which replicate the colors used in nonwoven fabrics today. The benefits of using an algae bio-source go far beyond the removal of chemically synthesized colorants, and include synergistic benefits of vastly reduced water consumption, chemical/fertilizer use, and carbon dioxide emissions.
“We’re very excited to bring our technology into the realm of spunlaid nonwovens,” commented Renana Krebs, CEO of Algaeing. “The opportunities to utilize our technology in Avgol’s sustainable component materials and bring color, as well as the skin wellness attributes of algae-derived health benefits into personal care items, is an incredible opportunity to reduce the human impact around the world on a large scale. We’re thrilled to be partnering with a leading global brand like Avgol and introducing Algaeing’s ‘triple good solution’ (good for the planet, for the industry and our skin) to new and exciting markets such as Hygiene and Medical with a wide range of applications.”
Shachar Rachim, CEO of Avgol, said: “Avgol is building a portfolio of products and materials to offer 100-percent sustainable end-products for hygiene, medical, PPE and industrial applications. Our recent announcement on the collaboration with Polymateria and the Biotransformation Technology for fugitive single use articles fills out one part of the overall catalogue. Creating a link with other companies which have a drive towards the future and round out our offering is critical for supporting our vision. We found that exact motivation in Algaeing.”
The companies have been working together since 2020 and have proven the Algaeing colorant technology in proof of concept and prototyping phases. The parties are now preparing to enter the next stages of the product introduction pipeline.
Application of the integrated color and nonwoven technologies will be concentrating initially on the Hygiene and Medical/Personal Protection Equipment markets. Specifically, body liner materials for Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHP’s) and face mask/face covering components shall be key targets in their respective markets for the first-generation product launch.
The overarching developmental approach takes into consideration both current and future needs for product safety. For Avgol, this means development of a well-rounded set of capabilities that address removal or replacement of substances including phthalates, titanium dioxide and certain synthetic additives.
“The benefits of Algaeing’s technology also fit well with Avgol’s desire for materials that are more readily recyclable and biodegradable,” Rachim continued. “Having an organic colorant that can be removed during the recycling process and has no negative impact when released into the environment if undergoing biodegradation, supports polyolefins as future-proof resins.”
Posted May 17, 2021
Source: Avgol
