Bio-based fiber industry witnesses progress in Q1 2014 in China Key words:bio-based fiber，edible packaging film，degradable ，starch-based On 20 Feb, 2014, a key technology project about PU insulation material was awarded a provincial second price in Jiangsu Province.Hismer attracted attention for its chitosan fiber in the 2014 Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics.In early Feb. 2014, the price of castor oil kept stable, but it declined in mid and late Feb. Early in Mar., the price still stayed at a low position and is predicted to maintain till Apr. It is reported on 4 Mar, 2014 that an edible protein film made from fish skin was developed and expected to replace plastic packaging films.The bio-based fiber industry in China saw some progress in the first quarter of 2014, especially regarding viscose staple fiber,bamboo fiber and alginate fiber.Edible packaging films have excellent properties, and its use is growing.
As
a
result,
research
and
development
of
edible
packaging
films
is
increasing.Biomaterials plays a more and more important role in packaging industry. Also in Mar, the chairman of Kingfa, Yuan Zhimin, disclosed that the company has been capturing national attention for its completely biodegradable film ever since it signed an agreement with XPCC. Lastly, CCM chooses five leading enterprises of starch-based materials in China to make a comparison on their products,so that readers can learn their product
advantages
respectively.
However, it is still limited by its high price.Five leading biomaterial enterprises in China are chosen to make a product comparison on starch-based materials.Since Kingfa signed an agreement with Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), its completely biodegradable film has been capturing national attention. Moreover, biodegradable film has become a hot topic in China. In Market Data Analysis, the price of castor oil in Feb. 2014 is analyzed, which kept stable in early Feb. but declined in mid and late. Feb. Also, the import & export of PVA in Jan. 2014 and
the
price
of
PVA
in
the
first
quarter
of
2014
are
analyzed.
There are three main reasons for the price increase in viscose staple fiber in Q1 2014. Firstly, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China released the preliminary arbitration of the anti-dumping investigation on imported pulps from the US, Canada and Brazil. It also issued temporary policies that require importers to make guarantees, which increases their purchasing costs. Secondly, since Jan. 2014, enterprises are no longer consuming their inventories to withdraw funds. Finally, downstream textile factories have been busy reserving raw materials for their operations following the Spring Festival. An insider has revealed that no new viscose production capacity will be added in 2014, resulting in a slower increasing speed of output compared with the growth of the demand. Therefore, it is estimated that the price of viscose staple fiber will continue to rise from Mar. 2014.
However,
the
viscose
fiber
is
still
confronted
with
overcapacity
in
2014.
Besides, the Chinese government will not issue temporary reserving polices for cotton in 2014-2015. Meanwhile, direct subsidy policy for cotton farmers will be carried out in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 2015. Therefore, the cotton price will decrease. As an alternative
to
cotton,
viscose
fiber
may
witness
a
decrease
in
price.
In addition, if the final arbitration of the anti-dumping investigation on imported pulps from the US, Canada and Brazil has the same result as the preliminary arbitration, it will threaten the viscose
fiber
industry,
but
will
contribute
to
industrial
integration.
Regarding bamboo fiber, both Jilin Chemical Fiber Group Co., Ltd. (Jilin Chemical Fiber) and Xinshengda Group Co., Ltd. (Xinshengda Group) have made progress. It is revealed that a subsidiary of Jilin Chemical Fiber, Sichuan Tianzhu Bamboo Resources Development Co., Ltd. (Sichuan Tianzhu) has been constructing a technical transformation project for bamboo pulp, with a production capacity of 95,000 t/a (90% finished). In 2014, the company will focus on trial operation, to ensure that it is ready for production. On 18 Feb., 2014, Jilin Chemical Fiber, jointly with Sichuan Tianzhu, held a promotion activity in Shishi City, Fujian Province, to introduce the application of bamboo fiber fabrics in children clothing. Meanwhile, Xinshengda Group
also
launched
its
degradable
bamboo
fiber
woven
cloth
in
Jan.
2014.
Regarding alginate fiber, in 2011, Zhejiang Yuelong Holding Group Co., Ltd. (Zhejiang Yuelong) introduced a marine bio-fiber project from Wuhan Textile University, and established Shaoxing Lanhai Fiber Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (Shaoxing Lanhai) in Kebei Industrial Park to push forward the industrialization of alginate fiber. Currently, Shaoxing Lanhai owns a 500 t/a production line, which has been put into operation in 2014 with a full order scheduling. A complete industrial chain from alginate (raw material) to needle punched non-woven fabrics has been put into mass production. Wang Ronggen, chief engineer at Shaoxing Lanhai, revealed that the company intended to launch a production line of spunlaced non-woven fabrics in 2014 to expand the application of non-woven fabrics. In this issue, CCM mainly introduces China's progress in some biomaterials, including biobased PU, chitosan, bio-based fiber,edible packaging film, degradable film as well as starchbased material. In addition, a scholar is invited to write an in-depth analysis article to introduce the current progress in the research of edible packaging film and an insider to introduce the applications of biomaterials in packaging industry. The scholar pointed out that edible packaging film in China has had several examples of application but the industry develops slowly with technologies undergoing research and development. Table of Contents Biomaterials China News 1403 PHB
to
PCM
be 2014
Experimental Progress
applied to
in
plastic be
study made
packaging held
of in
through
in
degradable 3D
printer
PHBOTTLE
Ningbo PLA with
project
in
May punctal PLA
in
EU 2014 plugs
material
Edible
protein
Bio-based
fiber
Qianjiang
enters
Current
film, industry usual
progress witnesses
period
research
Application Product
crayfish
among
yoghurt
five
packaging in
Q1
processing
edible
biomaterials
comparison 5%
progress
on
of
Danone’s
of
in
packaging
and
in
chitin
China extraction films
packaging
starch-based
made
2014
packaging
in
selected
material
of
industry
enterprises
bio-based
in
PLA
China material
Cardia Bioplastics wins waste management supply contract into Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province Chi
Mei
to
set
Biodegradable
up
polaroid
film
R&D
becomes
base
hot
in
Jiangsu
topic
Province
in
China
Key Technology to Replace Harmful Materials with Biomass for Preparation of PU Insulation Material
awarded
provincial
second
prize
Hismer’s chitosan fiber attracts attention in 2014 Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Qingdao
Qianguang’s
Alpha
approved
functional to
chitosan
project
launch
passes
inspections
pharmaceutical-grade
PVA
Price of castor oil keeps stable in early Feb. but declines in mid and late Feb. 2014 Import
&
export
analysis
and
price
analysis
of
PVA
Price Update About
CCM
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