Avantium has signed a joint development agreement with Amcor Rigid Packaging USA to explore the use of Avantium's plant-based polyethylene furanoate (PEF) - branded as Releaf - in rigid containers for various products, including food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home, and personal care.

Moreover, Amcor has committed to a multi-year capacity reservation for PEF from a future industrial-scale facility, based on a technology license from Avantium. This agreement guarantees Amcor preferred access to PEF volumes produced by Avantium's future licensee network.

Avantium has developed a proprietary process technology to produce furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), the key building block for PEF, and is currently in the process of starting up the world’s first commercial FDCA plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands.

Releaf, a plant-based polymer, can be used in packaging applications including bottle and film.

Releaf, plant-based with superior properties

Releaf is a 100% plant-based, high-performance polymer that can be recycled in existing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling streams. It is included in the Critical Guidance Protocol from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), one of the most universally accepted measures for assessing recyclability in plastic packaging design.

Releaf furthermore stands out due to its superior barrier properties, which extend the shelf life of food and beverages, its higher mechanical strength that reduces material usage, and its lower processing temperature that cuts energy consumption compared to traditional fossil-based plastics.