The bio-based foam market has good development prospects, and Europe is the world’s main market

Bio-based foam refers to a type of foam material that uses renewable biomass and is manufactured through biological, chemical and physical methods. There are many types of bio-based foams, including bio-based polyurethane foam, bio-based polyethylene foam, bio-based polymer foam, etc.; according to different raw materials, bio-based foam is divided into fiber-based foam, sugarcane-based foam, straw-based foam, vegetable oil-based foam , lignin agent foam, etc.

Bio-based materials are the only way to achieve sustainable development of chemical products, and they have become a global research and development hotspot. Compared with fossil-based foam, bio-based foam has the advantages of wide source of raw materials, energy saving, environmental protection, renewable and easy degradation. However, due to technical limitations, there is still a certain gap between bio-based foams and fossil-based foams in terms of thermal stability, mechanical properties, production costs, etc. In order to improve the performance of bio-based foams, the market attention of modified bio-based foams is also increasing. .

According to the “2023-2027 Bio-based Foam Industry In-depth Market Research and Investment Strategy Suggestions Report released by the Industrial Research Center, currently The global bio-based foam market is still in its infancy and the market scale is small. However, under the background of carbon neutrality and carbon peak strategies, the bio-based foam market has broad development prospects. It is expected that from 2022 to 2027, the global bio-based foam market will grow by 20 It will grow at a compound annual growth rate of around % and will reach more than US$200 million in 2027.

Bio-based foam is lightweight, moldable, noise-reducing, and heat-insulating. It is a plastic-free substitute for polyethylene, polystyrene, polyurethane and other foams and is widely used in automobiles, food, packaging, furniture, aviation seats, bedding, etc. Electronic products and other fields have broad application prospects. It is expected that automobiles will become the fastest growing segment of the bio-based foam market.

Benefiting from factors such as favorable government regulations, advanced preparation technology, and strong terminal demand, Europe has become the main market for bio-based foams in the world, and it is expected that the growth rate of the European bio-based foam market will be higher than the global average. Currently, relevant suppliers of bio-based foam include Stora Enso, Huntsman, Foamplant, etc. In 2022, Stora Enso will launch two bio-based foam products, Fibrease™ and Papira®. Fibrease™ is made of up to 98% renewable materials and has performance similar to memory foam. This product is currently on the market. Papira® is a completely bio-based, biodegradable foam product that is currently in trial production at the Fors factory in Sweden.

Industry analysts said that fossil-based foam is an important factor causing environmental pollution. Bio-based foam has the characteristics of energy saving, environmental protection, low carbon and raw materials. It has the advantages of wide source and can replace traditional fossil-based foams. Due to limitations in technology and product performance, the global bio-based foam market is still in its infancy with limited application scenarios. However, under the background of carbon neutrality and carbon peak strategies, the bio-based foam market is expected to usher in good development opportunities.