Washable kitchen towels made with PLA/PHA blend from TotalEnergies Corbion

The performance challenge at the core of this development was combining reusability with a fully plant-based material stack. Conventional disposable wipes and paper towels depend on fossil-based inputs or sacrifice durability for biodegradability. The blend architecture used here – PLA, PHA, and certified pulp in a synergistic combination – is presented by the two companies as a route to resolving that tradeoff, delivering durability and functionality across multiple wash cycles while remaining entirely biobased. The product is positioned as a demonstrator for what advanced biopolymer combinations can achieve in everyday nonwoven applications.

The qualification pathway involved collaboration across the full value chain, from material formulation and process optimization through to downstream performance validation.

As Kevin Cho, senior business development manager at TotalEnergies Corbion, describes it, "This launch is not the result of a single project, but of a long-term, trust-based partnership. From concept to commercialization, Luminy® PLA has been co-developed and validated together with Yuhan-Kimberly to meet demanding functional and sustainability criteria. We are proud that Luminy® is the PLA solution qualified for this application and that our collaboration continues to set a benchmark for biobased innovation."

Chang-Woo Ahn, R&D officer at Yuhan-Kimberly, adds, "This reusable dishtowel demonstrates what is possible when material science and product design are developed hand-in-hand. Our close cooperation with TotalEnergies Corbion has enabled us to bring a differentiated, biobased product to market that reflects our long-term commitment to sustainability and innovation."

The product is currently available through Yuhan-Kimberly's retail and online distribution channels in Asia. Both companies indicate that the application was developed with global scalability in mind and describe it as a platform innovation – with stated relevance to future development in spunbond, meltblown, and other nonwoven hygiene and wiping formats. The collaboration is also framed as a broader signal to converters, brand owners, and retailers evaluating credible, performance-driven alternatives to fossil-based plastics in wipe and hygiene applications.

You can review Luminy® PLA grades and compare technical data across available biobased polymer options directly in the Master Catalog of Plastics.