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.
This media release is also available in German language.
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Media contacts:
Borealis Group Media Desk
Virginia Wieser, Lena Lehner, Karin Schober
Tel: +43 1 22 400 899 (Vienna, Austria)
Email: media@borealisgroup.com
PFN
Oliver Fecko, Product Marketing Manager
Mob: +420 737 790 177 (Czech Republic)
Email: ofecko@pfnonwovens.com
Maureen E. Brown-Fierro, Purchasing & Logistics Administrator
Tel: +1 570 384 1650 | Mob: +1 570 295 2450 (USA)
Email: mebrown@pfnonwovens.com
Photo: Nonwoven material for diapers produced by PFNonwovens contains renewably-sourced and ISCC PLUS mass balance certified polypropylene from the Borealis’ Bornewables™ portfolio of circular polyolefins.
© Borealis. image. 3.37mb
Photo: PFNonwovens production facilities
© PFNonwovens. image. 2.71mbAbout Borealis
Borealis is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions and a European front-runner in polyolefins recycling. In Europe, we are a market leader in base chemicals and fertilizers. We leverage our polymer expertise and decades of experience to offer value adding, innovative and circular material solutions for key industries such as consumer products, energy, healthcare, infrastructure and mobility.
In re-inventing essentials for sustainable living, we build on our commitment to safety, our people, innovation and technology, and performance excellence. We are accelerating the transformation to a circular economy of polyolefins and expanding our geographical footprint to better serve our customers around the globe.
With head offices in Vienna, Austria, we employ 7,600 employees and operate in over 120 countries. In 2022, we generated a net profit of EUR 2.1 billion. OMV, the Austria-based international oil and gas company, owns 75% of our shares, while the remaining 25% is owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We supply services and products to customers around the globe through Borealis and two important joint ventures: Borouge (with ADNOC, headquartered in the UAE); and Baystar™ (with TotalEnergies, based in the US).
www.borealisgroup.com | www.borealiseverminds.com
About PFNonwovens
PFNonwovens is a leading global producer of customized nonwoven fabrics. We make innovative products across multiple key markets:
Baby Care: delighting parents and babies alike
Medical: protecting medical professionals
Adult Incontinence & Fem Care: providing discreet protection and comfort
PFNonwovens is headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, and operates five production plants worldwide: two in the Czech Republic, and one each in the United States, Egypt, and South Africa.
PFNonwovens’s mission is to lead in material innovation and break down barriers to sustainability. By combining state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities with best-in-class quality and customer-service culture, we develop and commercialize superior nonwoven fabrics that improve quality of life, deliver exceptional value, and a brighter future for our planet. We continuously advance to create the future of nonwovens for personal care and healthcare industries. For more information, visit www.pfnonwovens.com.
Thank you for understanding that we are only able to respond to media inquiries. For all other inquiries, please reach out to us via these contact forms.
Media representatives can reach our media desk during work days in Austria between 8:30 a.m. and 17:00 p.m. (CET) via email or telephone.
High-resolution images are available for download in our media gallery.
Group Media Desk
+43 1 22 400 899 (Vienna, Austria)