Biodegradable BASF Plastics Quite Outstanding

The biodegradable BASF plastics Ecoflex® and Ecovio® recently received the iF material award 2007. The International Forum Design (iF), the design center in Hannover (Germany), this year conferred the award for innovative materials and material ideas for the third time.

The two plastics Ecoflex and Ecovio are among the six winners in the material and material application category.

Ecoflex can be employed with great versatility especially in the packaging sector since it is waterproof, tear-resistant, elastic, printable and weldable.

Ecovio, a further development of Ecoflex, is the first BASF plastic based on renewable raw materials. The plastic consists to the extent of almost 50 % of polylactic acid (PLA) derived from corn. The other component is the biodegradable plastic Ecoflex based on petrochemicals. From Ecovio customers can produce tailor-made blends.

Depending on the mixing ratio of Ecovio with Ecoflex or PLA more flexible or more rigid formulations are possible. Even on its own Ecoflex allows many different applications including mulch films in agriculture, cling films, laminates for packaging and breathable films in the hygiene sector to name just a few examples.