PEF, short for polyethylene furanoate, is a 100% plant-based and recyclable plastic. Applications include polyesters, polyamides and polyurethanes, as well as coating resins, plasticisers, and other chemical products.
Avantium is currently building a FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands, a key building block for PEF. The plant will open doors on Oct. 22, 2024.
As part of the new collaboration, Avantium will supply Monouisse and Antex with PEF, who will then create PEF-based yarns. Monosuisse will specialise in monofilament PEF yarns, whilst Antex will supply multifilament PEF yarns. Auping, a mattress brand, will test the design and manufacturing of mattresses using the PEF-based fabric.
“We are proud to collaborate with Auping, Antex, Monosuisse to help build a more sustainable world,” said Bineke Posthumus, director business development of Avantium. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to reducing the environmental impact of textile production. By leveraging Avantium’s breakthrough technology and the collective expertise of our partners, we are poised to transform the textile landscape.”
Avantium’s proprietary YXY technology uses catalysts to convert plant-based sugar (fructose) into FDCA, which is then used to produce PEF.
The company has signed a number of off-take agreements for FDCA-based PEF from its Flagship Plant, including toy brick manufacturer Lego and Danish brewer Carlsberg.
