In an era driven by sustainability, biopolymer coatings market has risen to prominence essentially on account of the packaging industry demanding a suitable material that is not only ecofriendly but also displays desirable packaging qualities like durability, heat seal-ability, and moisture resistance. Coating materials derived from sustainable resources are becoming popular lately due to rising public awareness about environmental concerns and the advantage the product receives in terms of marketing and salability. In consequence, biopolymer coatings industry seems to have garnered commendable profits in the recent years. Through extensive product deployment in the packaging of paper, food and beverages, textiles and myriad other industries, biopolymer coatings market size has indeed witnessed a commendable upsurge."
U.S. Biopolymer Coatings Market Share, By Product, 2015
Highlighting the ecofriendly features of biopolymer coatings
With the rise in awareness for restoring the ecological balance that the earth has come very close to losing, numerous nations have been focusing on enhancing their recycling capacities. Thus, composting procedures, whether industrial scale composting or the backyard variety of composting, have become popular. The polymer chains in biopolymer coatings and packaging materials are constructed such that 90% of the packaging, under appropriate conditions, can be degraded or disintegrated into compost in a time span which can range from mere weeks to six months, a factor that has further galvanized the growth of the biopolymer coatings industry.
PLA, which is one of the most widely used materials for biopolymer coatings, faces major road blocks on account of its high costs. This hinderance for PLA-based biopolymer coatings industry however, has been successfully taken care of by leading companies that were favored by the law with regards to the mass production of PLA because of its ease in breaking down in the eco-cycle. Another factor that majorly contributed toward the approval of PLA by the legal community is that PLA uses 68% less oil in production and can be produced using plant starch instead of petrochemicals. Thus, biopolymer coatings industry participants are not only hailed for being crusaders in creating eco-friendly products but also for being able to get off the petrol-price rollercoaster.
Biopolymer coatings market trends from the paper packaging sector
The paper packaging space has indeed been one of the most profitable avenues for biopolymer coatings market, having displayed potential to completely replace synthetic coating materials in package production. As biopolymer coatings are chiefly derived from renewable resources, they offer a wide spectrum of environmental advantages such as biodegradability, non-toxicity, better recyclability, and biocompatibility. In the context of its source material, biopolymer coatings industry is quite diversified, as coatings have been made out of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, polyesters and polylactic acid (PLA). Biopolymer coatings used for paper packaging lead to the creation of a barrier coating so beneficial that it has globally revolutionized the packaging industry, a phenomenon that has provided significant stimulus to biopolymer coatings market as well. An innovative approach toward packaging has resulted in the development of novel biodegradable coatings that adhere sufficiently to paper boards, thus providing a commendable boost to biopolymer coatings industry. Indeed, such innovative production methodologies have led to the manufacturing of coatings that are rather suitable for commercial production such as beverage cups, ice cream cartons and paper containers for fast food, further propelling biopolymer coatings market share.
Biopolymer coatings industry outlook from the food packaging domain
With changing consumer demands for enhanced quality of food packaging that will keep foods fresh for longer and increase their shelf lives, biopolymer coatings market has witnessed a transformation of sorts. Increased environmental concerns that has led to general shunning of synthetic coatings and the inclination toward non-petroleum-based polymer coatings have also stimulated the biopolymer coatings market. Naturally, renewable sources are used for the production of biopolymer coatings for the food industry and often, edible coatings are prepared using polysaccharides and proteins that not only help in retaining high preservative qualities on food surfaces but also deter microbial growth on the surface. These advantages have substantially augmented product demand, propelling biopolymer coatings industry size from the food packaging sector.
It is prudent to mention that biopolymer coatings possess the capability to improve the oxygen barrier of the packaging that helps modify the performance of the end product. Pertaining to this unique property, biopolymer coatings market dynamics from the food packaging sector have witnessed an even more distinct change. Since these coatings are successful in food storage without any deterioration of their optical appearance and chemo-physical characteristics, they hold promise for the future reduction of plastics in the food packaging sector, further carrying a slew of opportunities for biopolymer coatings industry.
With continual research and development programs led by industry players that have made it possible for the biopolymer coatings industry to produce coatings which can comprehensively compete with conventional packaging materials on a commercially viable scale, biopolymer coatings industry is certain to observe appreciable development in the years ahead. The sustainable society scenario of the present world has lent greater consumer appeal to the product. Aided by escalating oil prices and the expanding composting industry, biopolymer coatings market is estimated to surpass USD 1.3 billion by 2024.