Avantium, a chemical technology company, has announced a collaboration with Japanese beverage company Kirin Holdings to explore the application of the former's polyethylene furanoate (PEF) material, branded as Releaf, in Kirin's beverage portfolio.

Kirin has been working with Avantium since 2020 to assess the potential of PEF within its product range due to its claimed superior barrier properties and mechanical strength, as well as lower processing temperatures compared to traditional materials.

The companies have worked on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) multilayer applications, blending, and PEF monolayer evaluation over the last three years.

These efforts aimed to verify the recyclability, barrier properties, and formability of PEF, and yielded promising results.

Consequently, Kirin has decided to intensify its collaboration with Avantium, expanding the evaluation of PEF to various types of containers for its products.

In addition to the research and development efforts, Kirin is supporting Avantium in integrating PEF recycling within the existing PET stream in Japan.

This support is part of the application process to the Japanese Council for PET Bottle Recycling (CPBR).

Avantium has already achieved recognition for PEF in the PET recycling streams in Europe and the US by the European PET Bottle Platform and the Association of Plastic Recyclers, respectively.

Kirin’s Research & Development Division’s Institute for Package Innovation unit general manager Masaki Nakaya said: “Avantium’s application to CPBR will add a new environmentally favourable package alternative to Japan’s beverage industry.

“Kirin has been a leading company in Japan in sustainable practices, for example by developing sustainable containers and packaging that employ recycled materials and biobased feedstocks."

Last year, Avantium partnered with Dutch supermarket chain Albert Heijn to facilitate its shift toward more sustainable packaging for own-branded products.