In North Carolina, startup Tethis has developed a biodegradable polymer from corn starch that is generating interest from diaper manufacturers looking for greener alternatives.
Scott Bolin tells Fox8 the company has completed customer trials and has generated interest from diaper companies in both in the US and Europe. “The diaper industry has struggled to move to greener products,” Bolin says. “Right now, most diapers in the world use a petrochemical that comes out of an oil refinery. But what consumers want is a renewable diaper.”
Tethis’s process involves extruding a starch-based mixture, which is then turned into a powder that is mixed with other materials to increase absorbency. Unlike other “natural” diaper products on the market, Tethis’s diapers do not include any petroleum-based sodium polyacrylate.
The company is planning a 700 tons per year facility in Nebulon, North Carolina, which it hopes will open this summer. It aims to further ramp up capacity to 10,000 tons of annual capacity by mid-2018. The plant will initially employ 15–20 people.