Avantium N.V. has signed a conditional offtake agreement with Plastipak. Per the agreement, Plastipak will purchase Avantium’s plant-based, recyclable polyethylene furanoate (PEF) polymer to manufacture beverage and food packaging for distribution in the U.S.

Over the past year, Plastipak has been actively involved in evaluating the application of Avantium’s PEF, a 100 percent plant-based, high-performance polymer that can be recycled in existing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling streams. PEF 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.

Plastipak has demonstrated the enhanced performance of its PEF in monolayer and multilayer bottle applications, distinguished by its superior barrier properties that extend the shelf life of food and beverages. Additionally, its higher mechanical strength allows for the use of less material, and its lower processing temperature reduces energy consumption compared to traditional plastics derived from fossil resources.

PEF also provides benefits when used in conjunction with PET. In multilayer PET packages, PEF serves as an effective barrier layer to ensure product shelf life when a single PET layer is insufficient.