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Nonwovens/​Converting

Ahlstrom presents biodegradable solution for infusion products

Ahlstrom, a global leader in the development and manufacture of high performance fibre-based materials, will present its innovative, biodegradable nonwoven for infusion applications at the Tea & Coffee World Cup exhibition in Seville, Spain, June 7-9th, 2009. The lightweight, fine filament web is designed to deliver functional benefits to converters and consumers of tea-bags, while featuring unique environmental characteristics. Now commercially available, it is p

25th May 2009

Innovation in Textiles
 |  Seville

Industrial, Sustainable, Packaging

Ahlstrom, a global leader in the development and manufacture of high performance fibre-based materials, will present its innovative, biodegradable nonwoven for infusion applications at the Tea & Coffee World Cup exhibition in Seville, Spain, June 7-9th, 2009. The lightweight, fine filament web is designed to deliver functional benefits to converters and consumers of tea-bags, while featuring unique environmental characteristics. Now commercially available, it is presented for the first time at a European exhibition.

"The raw material and the fine filament webs are fully biodegradable and compostable. An independent LCA (life cycle assessment) carried out to ISO 14040 standards demonstrated that these webs have a lower carbon footprint compared to similar products made of oil-based polymers" says Mike Black, General Manager, Food Nonwovens. The principal ingredient is PLA (polylactic acid), a biopolymer currently derived from corn starch. This also means that the raw material for this product is based on 100% annually renewable resources.

While responding to the growing demand for sustainable food packaging solutions, the new product also delivers remarkable functional benefits, the company says. The extra fine webs highlight the contents while maintaining shape and easily accommodating tea-bag strings and tags. Ahlstrom says that the resulting tea-bags look different and feel different to the touch and they represent the ideal choice for brand owners wanting to highlight quality infusions and to differentiate their premium blends, the fastest growing segment in the market.

Suitable for conversion on tea-packing machines that use ultrasonic sealing technology, the new materials complement Ahlstrom's wide range of traditional heat sealable and non-heat sealable filter webs for tea and coffee. Ahlstrom says it now offers the broadest range of beverage filtration materials available on the market, with manufacturing both in Europe and North America.

Ahlstrom infusion materials are part of the company's Advanced Nonwovens business area and are sold globally through the Ahlstrom sales network.

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