The Netherlands-based renewable chemistry company Avantium N.V. has announced that it has signed a conditional offtake agreement with the world luxury goods leader LVMH Group (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy). With this offtake agreement, LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics Houses has secured a fixed volume of the plant-based, recyclable, and high-quality polyethylene furanoate (PEF) from Avantium’s Flagship Plant for its cosmetics packaging.
Avantium is currently constructing its FDCA Flagship Plant, which is the world’s first commercial plant for the production of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from plant-based sugars.
FDCA is the key ingredient for making the sustainable and circular plastic material PEF.
PEF is 100 percent plant-based and can be fully recycled. Moreover, the PEF outperforms traditional packaging materials such as conventional petroleum-based plastic.
PEF has superior barrier properties – leading to longer product quality – and also has higher mechanical strength – enabling thinner packaging and thereby reducing the amount of material required.
Positive test outcomes
Earlier this year, the research branch of LVMH joined the PEFerence consortium coordinated by Avantium, to team up with other leading brands and value chain partners to facilitate the commercialization of PEF.
As part of our social and environmental strategy “LIFE 360” (LVMH Initiative for the Environment), LVMH Beauty is always looking for sustainable materials with superior performance for our luxury products, commented Claude Martinez Executive President and Managing Director, Beauty Division of LVMH Group.
Over the past year, LVMH and Avantium have worked closely together to assess the potential of Avantium’s PEF as a sustainable packaging solution for LVMH beauty brands, which include Parfums Christian Dior, Givenchy Parfums, Guerlain, and many others.
With those test results proving successful, LVMH Perfumes & Cosmetics Houses has now decided to sign an offtake agreement, as the first luxury cosmetics company, further enabling the commercial introduction of PEF to the cosmetics market.
The environmental and performance features of PEF are unique and meet our sustainable packaging goals without any compromise on quality. We are pleased to collaborate with Avantium and help to enable the commercial introduction of PEF to the cosmetics market, Claude Martinez said.
Avantium expects to start up its FDCA Flagship Plant in 2024, enabling the commercial launch of PEF.
We are delighted that LVMH has adopted PEF as a sustainable solution for its cosmetics packaging. We look forward to supporting LVMH’s sustainability strategy “LIFE 360” and the company’s target of zero plastic from virgin fossil feedstock while delivering a high-quality, innovative packaging material that the luxury consumers of LVMH may expect, said Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium.
