PEF, an environmental sound substitute for Polyester

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One of the biggest causes of plastic pollution on the planet comes from clothing. According to a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, plastic particles washed off from products such as synthetic textiles contribute to 35% of primary microplastics polluting. Polyethylene Furanoate (PEF) is a bio-based polymer produced using renewable raw materials derived from plants. PEF is referred as the next generation polyester which exhibits great potential to replace PET in the future. Polyester is the most widely used fiber in the world, accounting for roughly half of the fiber market overall and about 80 percent of all synthetic fibers, according to Textile Exchange’s 2019 Preferred Fiber & Materials Report. Derived from petroleum, PET was in the first instance considered revolutionary for its long-lasting, wrinkle-free, easy-to-clean qualities. Nevertheless, polyester also has several negative impacts, which are increasingly relevant.First, virgin polyester is made from finite fossil fuels using an energy-intensive process. For polyester, crude oil is chemically processed into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pellets, which can be formed into plastic bottles or extruded into yarns for textiles. The environmental damage begins during the extraction process and continues for hundreds or thousands of years. It is usually not biodegradable, and so will end up in a landfill for years unless recycled. Polyester also sheds microplastic fibers when it is washed, which end up in our waterways, oceans and eventually our food chains after being consumed by marine wildlife.Synthetic materials, including polyester and polyamide, should be considered the ‘sharp end’ of the textile industry’s urgent need for next-gen materials. Regulations of plastic use and crude oil prices rise are further factors which prove that it is now time to make some changes and find alternatives.CO2 ImpactsPolyester textiles have an estimated CO2e footprint of about 30 kg per kilogram over their lifetime, with approximately 90% (27.2 kg) of this coming from fiber and fabric production (2).While these numbers might seem ‘immaterial’ to us directly, they reveal a fundamental truth: that circularity is not a viable route to “sustainable synthetics” and recycled PET is not the answer. Indeed, the greater share of the energy-consumption of PET is related to the processing of PET into yarns and textiles and not to the raw material extraction. In this context, recycling cannot remedy this problem.Bio-based polyester uses renewable feedstocks like crops or bio-waste as inputs instead of petroleum. As many are still in the early stages of development, independently verified sustainability standards for bio-based polyester are just emerging. In that respect, we would like to push in that direction and gain knowledge on bio-based polymer. More specifically on Polyethylene Furanoate or PEF, which is a 100% recyclable, bio-based polymer produced using renewable raw materials (sugars) derived from plants. (2) Beton A., Dias D., Farrant L., Gibon T., Le Guern Y., Desaxce M., Perwueltz A., Boufateh I., Environmental Improvement Potential of textiles (IMPRO Textiles), JRC Scientific and Policy Reports, January 2014. As compared to PET, PEF offers numerous benefits such as:· Possibility to be processed with the same machinery as PET· Can be used at higher service temperatures (wider use scale)· Have a lower melting temperature (energy saving)· Superior barrier performance as well as mechanical and thermal properties· Recyclable and hence reduced carbon footprint· Cost competitive at industrial scaleInvest in the futureMammut is aiming at leveling up its polyester sourcing strategy. Instead of waiting for sustainable to be widely available before using it, Mammut needs to invest more in research and development and help suppliers bring new materials to market. As an innovative company, Mammut would like to be an early adopter of PEF fibers. Bio-synthetics are an emerging fiber category that could provide preferred alternatives to virgin polyester in the near future. Many of these bio-based alternatives are in an early stage of development (market availability 5-10 years), and Mammut is planning a pilot project with the German Institute for Textile & Fiber Research (DITF) to develop & manufacture a first PEF fabric for the sports and outdoor industry.With the project funding from the Innovation Booster, Mammut plans to finance the material procurement for the envisaged pilot project. The PEF raw material, which is currently not commercially available on the market, will be procured by an existing research consortium at DITF, spun out and processed on a sample machine to produce an initial fabric sample. The PEF fabric sample produced in the pilot project will be compared with a virgin PET fabric in terms of its textile characteristics. Building on the standard laboratory test for textiles (abrasion, strength, durability), the production of a first textile prototype (e.g., T-shirt) for field trials is in the scope.The goal of the pilot project is to build up development know-how and a production network for bio-based textiles made from PEF. Thanks to the knowledge gained in the pilot project, Mammut hopes to achieve significant time savings in the development of innovative, bio-based fabrics made from PEF and thus gain a market advantage over the competition in achieving its NetZero 2030 target.

Project Idea Metadata

Project Idea Name: PEF, an environmental sound substitute for Polyester
Date: 3/31/2022 11:16:48 AM
Administrators:
- Ilari Dammert

Project Idea Description

Polyester is the most widely used fiber in the world, accounting for roughly half of the fiber market overall and about 80 percent of all synthetic fibers, according to Textile Exchange’s 2019 Preferred Fiber & Materials Report. Derived from petroleum, PET was in the first instance considered revolutionary for its long-lasting, wrinkle-free, easy-to-clean qualities. Nevertheless, polyester also has several negative impacts, which are increasingly relevant.

First, virgin polyester is made from finite fossil fuels using an energy-intensive process. For polyester, crude oil is chemically processed into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pellets, which can be formed into plastic bottles or extruded into yarns for textiles. The environmental damage begins during the extraction process and continues for hundreds or thousands of years. It is usually not biodegradable, and so will end up in a landfill for years unless recycled. Polyester also sheds microplastic fibers when it is washed, which end up in our waterways, oceans and eventually our food chains after being consumed by marine wildlife.

Synthetic materials, including polyester and polyamide, should be considered the ‘sharp end’ of the textile industry’s urgent need for next-gen materials. Regulations of plastic use and crude oil prices rise are further factors which prove that it is now time to make some changes and find alternatives.

CO2 Impacts

Polyester textiles have an estimated CO2e footprint of about 30 kg per kilogram over their lifetime, with approximately 90% (27.2 kg) of this coming from fiber and fabric production (2).

While these numbers might seem ‘immaterial’ to us directly, they reveal a fundamental truth: that circularity is not a viable route to “sustainable synthetics” and recycled PET is not the answer. Indeed, the greater share of the energy-consumption of PET is related to the processing of PET into yarns and textiles and not to the raw material extraction. In this context, recycling cannot remedy this problem.

Bio-based polyester uses renewable feedstocks like crops or bio-waste as inputs instead of petroleum. As many are still in the early stages of development, independently verified sustainability standards for bio-based polyester are just emerging. In that respect, we would like to push in that direction and gain knowledge on bio-based polymer. More specifically on Polyethylene Furanoate or PEF, which is a 100% recyclable, bio-based polymer produced using renewable raw materials (sugars) derived from plants.

(2) Beton A., Dias D., Farrant L., Gibon T., Le Guern Y., Desaxce M., Perwueltz A., Boufateh I., Environmental Improvement Potential of textiles (IMPRO Textiles), JRC Scientific and Policy Reports, January 2014.

As compared to PET, PEF offers numerous benefits such as:

· Possibility to be processed with the same machinery as PET

· Can be used at higher service temperatures (wider use scale)

· Have a lower melting temperature (energy saving)

· Superior barrier performance as well as mechanical and thermal properties

· Recyclable and hence reduced carbon footprint

· Cost competitive at industrial scale

Invest in the future

Mammut is aiming at leveling up its polyester sourcing strategy. Instead of waiting for sustainable to be widely available before using it, Mammut needs to invest more in research and development and help suppliers bring new materials to market.

As an innovative company, Mammut would like to be an early adopter of PEF fibers. Bio-synthetics are an emerging fiber category that could provide preferred alternatives to virgin polyester in the near future.

Many of these bio-based alternatives are in an early stage of development (market availability 5-10 years), and Mammut is planning a pilot project with the German Institute for Textile & Fiber Research (DITF) to develop & manufacture a first PEF fabric for the sports and outdoor industry.

With the project funding from the Innovation Booster, Mammut plans to finance the material procurement for the envisaged pilot project. The PEF raw material, which is currently not commercially available on the market, will be procured by an existing research consortium at DITF, spun out and processed on a sample machine to produce an initial fabric sample.

The PEF fabric sample produced in the pilot project will be compared with a virgin PET fabric in terms of its textile characteristics. Building on the standard laboratory test for textiles (abrasion, strength, durability), the production of a first textile prototype (e.g., T-shirt) for field trials is in the scope.

The goal of the pilot project is to build up development know-how and a production network for bio-based textiles made from PEF. Thanks to the knowledge gained in the pilot project, Mammut hopes to achieve significant time savings in the development of innovative, bio-based fabrics made from PEF and thus gain a market advantage over the competition in achieving its NetZero 2030 target.