motivation

Nonwoven-based products are experiencing increasing demand due to their simple and inexpensive production and are an important component of many industries. For example, agricultural textiles for early harvesting are nonwovens currently made from polypropylene or polyester. The resulting increase in agricultural yield makes these nonwovens indispensable. These products are generally not biodegradable. During their service life, the nonwovens release microplastics into the environment under the influence of the weather and thus change the soil properties. When collecting and disposing of the used textiles from the field, residues remain permanently in the soil. According to NABU, 13,256 tonnes of plastic emissions emerge on agricultural land every year, of which 556 tonnes are caused by “films, nets & coatings”, such as nonwovens. The replacement of conventional polymers with bio-based and biodegradable polymers, as is the aim of the project BioVlies, has a positive effect on the environment, in particular because plastic emissions remaining in the soil will be avoided.