The pressure to become more sustainable is growing: customers expect it, legislation is changing, and sustainability is getting higher on the internal agenda. But you must also safeguard quality and keep costs under control. In this blog, we’ll take you through that balance. Would you rather look directly at your situation? Schedule a brainstorming session.
Biobased plastics may then seem daunting. In this blog, we show that biobased and scalable go together just fine.
What are biobased plastics?
Biobased plastics are (partly) made from renewable raw materials, such as corn, sugarcane, or other biomass. Examples:
- PLA (polylactic acid)
- PHA- family of biopolymers
Biobased refers to the origin, not automatically to biodegradability.
Advantages of biobased plastics
- Lower CO₂ footprint
- Alignment with ESG/sustainability goals
- New market and brand positioning
- Often well suited to injection molding with the right settings
Misconceptions about biobased
Frequently heard concerns: too soft, difficult to process, much more expensive. In practice:
- There are biobased materials with comparable strength
- Processability is stable with proper process settings
- The extra cost per kilo is often limited at the product level
How QDP integrates biobased materials
- Material advice based on application and service life
- Mold and process design attuned to biobased behavior
- Energy-efficient production
- Biobased colorants where possible
This way, sustainability becomes an integral part of your product development.
Are biobased plastics suitable for injection molding?
Yes, many biobased plastics are well suited to injection molding, provided the mold and processing parameters are adjusted to the specific material.
Are biobased materials always biodegradable?
No. Biobased refers to the origin of the raw material, not necessarily to biodegradability. Some biobased plastics are biodegradable, others are not.
Are biobased plastics less strong than traditional plastics?
Not by definition. There are biobased versions with comparable or even better properties. It depends on the chosen material and application.
Will my product automatically become more expensive with biobased plastic?
The price per kilo may be higher, but at product level that's often limited. Furthermore, it offers benefits in sustainability, brand experience, and compliance.
Sustainability as an accelerator, not a brake
With the right knowledge and partner, you can deploy biobased plastics as:
- Reinforcement of your brand
- Concrete step towards lower environmental impact
- Fully-fledged basis for scalable series production
Curious if your product is suitable for biobased injection molding?
Schedule a brainstorming session about sustainable product development with Maick Klaassen from QDP.