Rheom Materials Eyes Commercial-scale Production of Bio-based Leather Alternative

Bio-based polymers startup Rheom Materials has entered into a strategic partnership with Bixby International, a supplier of thermoplastic extrusion and lamination services. Rheom Materials said the collaboration marks a significant milestone in its journey toward commercial-scale production of its bio-based leather alternative, Shorai.

80% carbon footprint reduction

Designed to meet growing demand for sustainable materials, Shorai reportedly combines the performance of traditional leather with a sustainable profile, offering scalable production at a competitive price point while reducing a product’s carbon footprint. Extruded as a continuous sheet and having more than 92% bio-based content, Shorai achieves an 80% reduction in the carbon footprint compared with synthetic leather, according to Rheom Materials. The partnership with Bixby International will enable Rheom Materials to bring its innovative, eco-friendly materials to a broader market.

Located in Newburyport, MA, Bixby International has a century of experience manufacturing mono and multilayer film for global customers. This expertise and state-of-the-art equipment along with ISO 9001:2015 certification make Bixby the ideal partner, said Rheom Materials. As part of the agreement, Bixby International is taking a minority ownership stake in Rheom Materials.

Related:Bio-based Leather Alternative for Auto Interiors Attracts Investment

Sustainability a focus at Bixby

“Solving for both lower CO₂ emissions as well as end-of-life issues in the world of plastics has long been something that we at Bixby believe needs to be addressed by our industry,” said Bixby Chief Revenue Officer Dennis Lauzon. “We are very eager to participate alongside Rheom with the introduction of these novel bio-based compounds.”

“Partnering with Bixby International enables us to harness their extensive expertise in the extrusion industry and its entire supply chain, facilitating the successful scale-up of Shorai production,” said Carolina Amin Ferril, chief technology officer at Rheom Materials. “Their highly competitive and adaptable capabilities will allow us to offer more solutions and exceed our customers’ expectations.”

Prototype samples coming

Rheom Materials began its first pilot-scale trial at the Bixby International facilities this month, with plans to produce Shorai for prototype samples. Rheom Materials is working toward achieving a production scale continuous roll of biobased Shorai in the near future. Along with larger sheet production, Bixby enables various texture applications that enhance the haptics of Shorai. Lastly, the Bixby production lines will allow for laminated multilayer sheets, offering further customization for a variety of applications.

In addition to Shorai, Rheom Materials has developed Benree, a biopolymer resin for injection molding. Its team of PhD scientists is focused on the development of materials for melt extrusion technology, allowing them to leverage existing plastics manufacturing and create economies of scale, said the company.