Avantium signs Memoranda of Understanding with Tereos and LVMH GAÏA. The trio will embark on a strategic collaboration to speed up the industrial-scale production of polyethene furanoate (PEF), Avantium’s 100% renewable and circular performance polymer known under the brand name releaf. Made from plant-based feedstocks, releaf can be used in food and beverage packaging, cosmetic packaging, fashion and industrial fibre applications.
Avantium
Avantium partners LVMH and Tereos to accelerate the industrial-scale production of PEF
Tereos and LVMH will help Avantium to scale bio-based plastics from plant-based resources, helping users to move away from fossil-based plastics. The three parties are hoping to form a European consortium with plans for future expansion. The consortium is aiming to build and operate the first industrial-scale facility in Europe based on Avantium’s proprietary YXY Technology, converting plant-based feedstock into FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) and FDCA-based polymers, like releaf.
The initiative builds on the long-standing collaboration between the trio within the EU-supported PEFerence consortium, promoting the shift to plant-based polyesters. Additionally, the move aligns with Tereos’ ambition to develop green chemistry future value chains, Avantium’s goal to license its YXY Technology globally, and LVMH’s LIFE 360 environmental programs.
What each party said about the collaboration
“We are proud to strengthen our collaboration with LVMH and Avantium,” said Olivier Leducq, CEO of Tereos. “Tereos has made strong commitments for regenerative agriculture and decarbonisation from the field to finished products, which are reflected in our Cultivate Net Zero customer offer. Today, our partnership marks a new step in the development of sustainable solutions for green chemistry markets.”
Claude Martinez, President and CEO of LVMH GAÏA, added, “LVMH Gaïa was created to bring science and innovation at the service of sustainability across the LVMH Group. Our partnership with Avantium has already demonstrated the potential of renewable materials in luxury packaging. With this new step, we reinforce our LIFE 360 commitments, in particular our ambition to eliminate fossil-based plastics from packaging, while maintaining the highest standards of performance and aesthetics.”
“This partnership with LVMH and Tereos is an exciting step in our journey to bring releaf to market at scale. It builds on our successful existing collaboration and reflects a shared commitment to accelerating the transition to renewable materials. By uniting expertise across luxury, agriculture, and green chemistry, we are not only advancing circular innovation but also laying the groundwork for a European industrial ecosystem that supports sustainable packaging and textile solutions,” concluded Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium.