Natur-Tec® has three resins commercially available for film extrusion, injection molding and extrusion coating applications. These resins can further be tailored to suit specific application needs for increased toughness or stiffness.

Natur-Tec® resins are sold as a master batch system and can be blended in different proportions to optimize cost vs. performance requirements. Natur-Tec® resins do not contain any starch and are less sensitive to humidity providing increased shelf life in the environment of use.

Natur-Tec® resins are all made from polymers; additives and/or inorganic fillers that are either FDA approved or have GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) status.

Yes! Natur-Tec^® film resin is certified by BOTH TÜV Austria for the "OK Compost" certification per EN13432 standard and the American Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) according to ASTM D6400.

No! Film or injection molded parts made from Natur-Tec^® resins are not automatically certified according to EN 13432 or ASTM D6400. Each converter who wants to use the compostability mark for their products made from Natur-Tec^® resin must apply for a license for their films or parts at DIN Certco or TÜV-Austria (per EN 13432) or at BPI (per ASTM D6400). Such a certificate is valid only for the finished product of the tested thickness.

No! Natur-Tec^® develops, produces, and markets its grades in compliance with international compostability and environmental standards. They pass strict heavy metal requirements and plant toxicity tests as specified in EN 13432. Furthermore, Natur-Tec^® film resins have also passed Earthworm toxicity tests (conducted by Organic Waste System (OWS) in Belgium) required by AS 4736 to obtain the Australian ABA seedling logo.

Films made from Natur-Tec^® resins can be printed without any corona treatment using offset printing or flexoprinting.

Bio-based color master batches can be used for coloring without any problems. Polyethylene/polypropylene based color master batches should not be mixed with Natur-Tec^® resins to remain compliant with compostability standards.

Natur-Tec^® resins can be processed on conventional LDPE blown film lines, PS injection molding machines or PE extrusion coating lines. Extrusion blow molding of Natur-Tec^® resins has also been conducted on PE lines.

Natur-Tec^® resins should be stored in a dry, cooler, frost-free place. Provided that the packaging is unopened and remains undamaged, the storage time under these conditions is a minimum of 6 months.

Natur-Tec^® highly recommends the drying of its resins before processing. It is possible to process the material directly if residual moisture is below 0.2%. Depending on the storage conditions, it may be necessary to rest the residual moisture content and dry the material at 80°C for 3-4 hours.

Moisture in resin will decrease the shelf life of your product and cause a more rapid deterioration of properties. Additionally, processing of the resin will not be consistent. It may be difficult to keep a stable bubble in case of injection molding or one might see pin-holding in case of extrusion coating.

Yes, Natur-Tec^® resins and parts can be recycled. We recommend a maximum of 10% feedback when combined with virgin material. However, we suggest that our customers conduct their own trials to test the ultimate properties of the desired product. Also, only clean material (not transition material contaminated with PE or other traditional plastics) should be recycled.

No! Natur-Tec^® resins are designed for disposable compostable applications or durable biobased solutions. The resins do not blend well with plastics such as PE, PP, or PS and will deteriorate the properties of your end-product.

Natur-Tec^® resins make highly breathable films compared to polyethylene films. As such the films can be used directly without the need to punch holes for breathability in some applications. This property arises naturally for all Natur-Tec^® resins due to the fact that these resins are biodegradable and as such absorb moisture and oxygen when in the compost environment for easy disintegration.

Natur-Tec® BF3002 resin when molded at room temperature has a heat deflection temperature of 140°F (60°C), but by using a specific post-annealing step or molding at a higher temperature, this heat deflecting temperature can be increased to 190°F (88°C). Please contact technical service on how to improve the heat deflection temperature of these resins for your applications.

Natur-Tec^® compostable products should be disposed of, preferably in industrial composting facilities (following the local regulations). Landfill or incineration are not environmentally suitable options for Natur-Tec^® resins and defeats the value proposition of the sustainable solution.