Borealis Bornewables polymers for personal hygiene fabrics

The nonwovens industry is moving towards a circular business model. As the growing world population is increasingly depending on soft and lofty nonwoven materials for absorbent products in everyday personal hygiene, from baby diapers to feminine hygiene products and incontinence care, certified renewable Bornewables™ polymers from Borealis help manufacturers combine efficient processability with significant benefits for the climate.

Significantly better environmental profile

In order to achieve their mission and offer value-added as well as more sustainable solutions to their customers, PFNonwovens Group teamed up with Borealis to enhance their production of nonwoven materials for the personal hygiene market and set a new industry standard by using Bornewables PP resins for spunbond and meltblown solutions.

“Anticipating the growing demand for more sustainable nonwoven solutions, we have focused our development resources over the past several years on the circular sphere to accelerate our journey towards climate neutrality,” explains Tonny De Beer, Chief Product, Technology & Sustainability Officer at PFNonwovens Group. ““For PFN’s nonwoven products, fossil-based resins are today the main contributor to the carbon footprint. Therefore, using the Borealis Bornewables instead of standard fossil-based resins will significantly reduce the carbon footprint, even enabling products with a carbon footprint under zero.”

Bornewables can be used as direct drop-in replacements for comparable fossil-based polyolefins. In PFN’s nonwoven production, they required no changes to the existing manufacturing process while delivering the same high quality and performance as previous non-renewable virgin materials.

Re-inventing essentials for sustainable living

In line with Borealis’s EverMinds™ ambitions to accelerate action on circularity, the Bornewables PP used by PFN is made with second-generation raw material feedstock derived entirely from waste and residue vegetable oil streams. The renewable content in all Bornewables products is mass balance accredited under the ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) PLUS certification standard, confirming their authenticity and fully transparent traceability from the raw materials to the finished products.

“The combination of our expertise in polymer science and development with PFN’s processing know-how has resulted in nonwovens that make full use of the Bornewables advantages to minimise CO₂ emissions. Together we are reducing both waste and fossil depletion, while delivering cost-efficient products for the hygiene market with a premium look and feel,” adds Peter Voortmans, Global Commercial Director Consumer Product at Borealis. “At the same time, it serves as a role model of Borealis’ commitment to re-invent essentials for sustainable living in collaboration with value chain partners who share common goals.”

Taking a stand against climate change

Borealis adopted the mass balance approach for its renewable and chemically recycled polymers to provide products addressing climate change and circularity. The mass balance approach allows manufacturers to trace the exact share of sustainable feedstock allocated to their products, and Borealis’ ISCC PLUS certificates are audited annually to ensure that all requirements are met. Mass balancing makes it possible for customers to meet ambitious sustainability targets and stay on top of changing legislation. For PFN this means that for every tonne of certified Bornewables PP used in production, a maximum equivalent amount of nonwoven material can be claimed as certified renewable.

PFNonwovens Group’s new Bornewables based products for the personal hygiene market will be on display at INDEX™23, the world's leading nonwovens exhibition, from April 18 to 21 at the Palexpo Convention Centre in Geneva at Booth 1540.