A new plastic alternative with almost 0% petroleum-derived ingredients

Amid the global movement to move away from plastic, Japanese startup Camino Co., Ltd. in Minoto-ku, Tokyo has come up with an innovative, environmentally friendly material called PAPLUS®, made from plant-based biodegradable resin and paper waste. The new material carries the potential for replacing plastics altogether.

PAPLUS® is made by combining paper derived from milk cartons and paper waste from manufacturing processes with Polylactic Acid (PLA), an environmentally friendly synthetic resin that is typically made from the sugar in cornstarch or the juice from sugarcane. PLA is known to have the widest range of practical applications among all plant-derived biodegradable plastics. However, it has its weaknesses. It has low heat-resistance, durability and malleability. Camino, which has more than 30 years of experience in running a leading paper recycling business, overcomed these inherent weaknesses of PLA, enabling PAPLUS® to be developed.

One of the most significant characteristics of PAPLUS® is its durability, which makes it most suitable to be used for hard plastic products that require durability for repeated usages. Presently, it is considered to be used for tableware, building materials and jars/containers and much more.

In October 2019, PAPLUS® moldings gained high acclaim when they were exhibited at K 2019. K 2019 is the world’s largest plastics trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany, where demand for bioplastic product replacement is high. Up until now, Camino has produced prototypes for European cosmetic manufacturers and daily goods manufacturers. The company plans to commercialize these products during the next few months.

Moreover, what makes PAPLUS® sustainable is the fact that they can be recycled when discarding them. Once you’re done with the material, you can simply incinerate them or add them to compost or soil for biodegradation. They can also be recycled after being crushed into powder and made into pellets.

The CEO of Camino, Koichiro Fukasawa, hopes that PAPLUS® will become a powerful solution to building a plastic-free world. “We have succeeded to develop a plastic alternative with almost 0% of petroleum-derived components. In recent years, Japan has lagged behind in taking measures towards reducing plastic. I hope PAPLUS® will become a solution to building a more sustainable future.”