At the K 2025 Preview, global specialty chemicals company Kuraray revealed its latest developments in high-performance materials designed to support recyclable mono-material packaging formats. These include biocircular EVOH, biodegradable Plantic, and various grades of polyvinyl alcohol resins such as Kuraray Poval, Exceval, Elvanol, Mowiflex, and Mowital.
Kuraray’s barrier technologies aim to help packaging manufacturers and brand owners meet the recyclability and circularity demands set out under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). By improving shelf life and product preservation, these functional materials also support food waste reduction goals.
A key aspect of Kuraray’s strategy is its collaborative approach – working closely with converters, brand owners, and machine manufacturers to develop tailored, future-ready solutions. One such co-development is a vacuum pouch based on PE and EVOH, created in partnership with Dow and Niederwieser, combining extended shelf life with mechanical recyclability.
ISCC PLUS certification and carbon footprint reduction
Kuraray has added a suite of ISCC PLUS-certified materials to its portfolio, including grades of EVOH, Kuraray Poval, Exceval, Elvanol, and Mowital. These certified products incorporate renewable feedstocks via a mass balance approach, enabling verified reductions in Scope 3 emissions – by up to 60% depending on the grade. Certification provides traceability and supports brand owners seeking to decarbonise their packaging supply chains.
The company now operates two ISCC PLUS-certified plants in the United States – the recently certified Bayport Plant in Pasadena, Texas, and the La Porte Plant, which produces Elvanol. The Frankfurt site in Germany also produces biocircular grades of Kuraray’s polyvinyl alcohols.
Material highlights on show at K 2025
Kuraray will present several standout innovations at K 2025:
EVOH: A high-performance oxygen barrier enabling lightweight, recyclable mono-material structures in both plastic and paper formats. New metallisation grades provide an aluminium-free alternative for dry food packaging such as snacks and powdered goods.
Polyvinyl alcohols (Poval, Exceval, Elvanol, Mowiflex): Water-soluble and film-forming, these materials support both recyclable and compostable packaging. Applications range from biodegradable foams (Poval) to water-repulpable coatings with oil and grease resistance (Exceval, Elvanol), and thermoplastic films designed for packaging (Mowiflex).
Plantic: A thermoplastic starch-based biopolymer, Plantic is now available in pellet form for broader application. Biodegradable and compostable, it offers strong oxygen barrier properties for dry goods and MAP formats, and enables easy separation in paper multilayers due to its water dispersibility.
Mowital: Used as a binder and coating aid, Mowital expands Kuraray’s offering in multi-layer packaging structures, supporting performance and compatibility across substrates.
Meeting PPWR targets with functional recyclability
With PPWR mandating design-for-recycling criteria, Kuraray positions its barrier materials as viable alternatives to conventional non-recyclable packaging. Whether it's replacing aluminium in dry goods packaging or improving the recyclability of multilayers, Kuraray’s materials are geared to support converters and brand owners in developing high-performance, compliant solutions.
Kuraray will showcase these innovations at K 2025 in Düsseldorf from 8 to 15 October in Hall 7a, Booth D06.
