Through its ecolabel for biodegradable lubricants and hydraulic fluids, Blue Angel aims to enable buyers to choose products that consist primarily of renewable raw materials (vegetable or animal oils) and have a good biodegradability.
The CertiPUR-US® foam certification program is launching an initiative to certify biobased slabstock flexible polyurethane foams in September 2023. Biobased content will be measured by ISO 17025:2017-accredited Beta Analytic following the ASTM D6866 Method B standard.
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel for textiles set strict requirements for fibers and chemicals as part of efforts to reduce the environmental impact of textiles throughout their life cycles. Textiles must be made from fibers that are either organic, recycled or based on renewable resources complying with specific environmental requirements.
The EU Taxonomy Regulation Act (2020/852) for sustainable economic activities was created in July 2020 to have a common language and clear definition of ‘sustainable’ when classifying investments. Sustainable investments in projects and activities in the EU is vital in order to meet the objectives in the EU Green Deal.
The U.S. launched a Plastics Pact in 2020, being the first plastics pact in North America with Canada to follow in 2021. The U.S. Plastics Pact is part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Initiative Plastic Pact Network.
The CEN Technical Report CEN/TR 17674 provides an overview of existing applications of isotope ratio analysis of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen that are relevant to the analysis of biobased feedstocks, products and production processes. This Technical Report validates the geographic origin and/or isotopic fingerprint of natural flavors, food products and feedstocks. CEN/TR 17674, however, does not provide validation of whether a product is biobased (naturally sourced) or not.
In a cluttered market like the toy industry, a transparent approach goes a long way to stand out from competitors. Consumers will be more likely to trust your toys if the “eco-friendly” claims in your packaging and marketing materials are validated. Getting a Nordic Swan Ecolabel or USDA Certified Biobased Product label can help prove that your toy products are indeed “green”.
In March 2023, President Biden issued 10 Bold Goals for the U.S. Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing industries, expanding on his Executive Order issued September 12, 2022 on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy. While the 2022 Executive Order emphasized increasing market opportunities for biobased products, these bold goals provide key objectives for the U.S. bioeconomy.
At a global scale, the bio-based chemicals market size was valued at US$75.9 billion in 2021 and between $107.6 and $126.25 billion in 2022 with a growth projection of 8.8% annually between 2022 and 2030. Innovation in analytical tools and availability of data has made it easier for companies to develop and commercialize new products in this space as valuing waste streams has become more important across the globe.
In an effort to make the footwear industry more sustainable, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) created a guide that provides basic Environmentally Preferred Material (EPM) thresholds for shoe companies and set benchmarks so brands will know if they are exceeding industry averages. The FDRA is a business and trade association with more than 700 brands and retailers as members.
According to a 2022 business confidence survey by the International Leather Maker, the majority of tannery industry professionals are becoming increasingly conscious of the value of switching to biobased tanning chemicals as an alternative to chemicals sourced from fossil-carbon.
On September 12, 2022, President Biden released a new Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy. This aims to accelerate America’s bioeconomy through a boost in sustainable biomass production and biobased products.
The USDA BioPreferred® Program increased the number of potential participants by adding 23 more product categories that qualify for a USDA Certified Biobased Product label. These product categories are not designated for federal purchasing preference at this time.
ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic has done bio-based content testing since 2004. As a lab, we have helped Reebok and other brands to verify their plant-derived materials. Use of results, type of sample, and deadlines are three factors to consider before testing.
In an article co-authored with Greenology Products, Beta Analytic’s Marketing Manager Haley Gershon describes the use of Carbon-14 testing to verify biomass-derived ingredients used in the formulation of household and personal care products and explains the need of such testing to qualify for certain certification and eco-labeling programs.
In an article co-written by Beta Analytic and Braskem, the use of Carbon-14 analysis to validate the biomass content of certain products is discussed, including the I’m Green™ certification process—Braskem’s bio-based label.
An article co-written by Summer Zhang and Hui Jian of Beta Analytic and Xuan Nan of Dow Chemical (China) described how to verify the biobased carbon content of products and shared updates on the biobased coating industry.
Carbon-14 analysis plays a key role in distinguishing ingredient sources by providing proof whether the material tested is truly derived from natural biological material. Such analysis is useful in the trend toward naturally sourced, plant-based ingredients in the dye market, which sees a growing consumer preference for naturally sourced inks.
In an article co-written by Beta Analytic Marketing Manager Haley Gershon and Mike Andrews, Director of Advanced Development for Reebok Future, sportswear brand Reebok International Limited described its experience in using biobased content testing as a tool to validate raw materials successfully and how to effectively display the use of plant-derived material to increase product appeal.
According to a study conducted by marketing firm Shelton Group, the USDA Certified Biobased Product label is one of four certifications that influence buying decisions of consumers in the US.
