Resolute Forest Products said that its new cellulose filaments plant at its Kenogami (Saguenay, Quebec) paper mill is nearing completion. Working closely with key partners Performance BioFilaments and FPInnovations, and through the continued support of the ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts du Québec Wood Innovation Program, Resolute is working to commercialize a translucent film made of cellulose filaments (CF).
According to Resolute, this product could potentially replace clear plastic films used in a number of everyday applications, notably in store packaging of fresh foods. For example, the plastic window on a typical premium bread bag can be replaced with the new CF-based film, representing a 100% biosourced package that can be easily disposed of through a single-stream recycling collection system or a typical municipal composting infrastructure. This product offers a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics in a range of applications.
"Bio-based translucent film is another example of what our cellulose filament product platform can lead to," said Alain Bourdages, Vice President, Innovation and Energy at Resolute. "Improving the sustainability profile of packaging products is an exciting challenge, and we believe that we can be part of the solution. This development shows that wood-based products have a clear future."
For an industry that typically produces opaque printing paper, the development of a see-through product was no small challenge. With the help of Innofibre and support of FPInnovations, Resolute successfully produced pilot quantities of CF film. Rolls produced during multiple trials have been successfully used in converting on commercial bag lines with potential customers. Resolute and Performance BioFilaments are now working with manufacturers of these novel films.
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