Origin Materials and Packaging Materials will partner to develop advanced packaging materials, including polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a next-generation polymer.

Packaging Matters will transition its virgin petroleum-based PET purchases to sustainable carbon-negative PET from Origin Materials. Origin Materials’ sustainable carbon-negative PET is physically and chemically identical to petroleum-based PET and equally recyclable.

Origin Materials, the world’s leading carbon-negative materials company, will leverage its patented technology platform, which turns cellulose from sustainable wood residues into cost-advantaged, carbon negative materials that reduce the need for fossil resources.

Origin Materials’ technology platform is expected to produce sustainable carbon-negative FDCA, the precursor to PEF, cost-competitively, and the partnership aims to enable Packaging Matters to be first-mover to bring the novel product to its customers.

Furthermore, this development work for PEF is intended to facilitate the creation of additional novel polymers with performance characteristics that meet the needs of consumers and Packaging Matters’ customers, while delivering new types of packaging for today’s decarbonizing economy.

In the initial phase of the partnership, Origin Materials will supply sustainable carbon-negative PET to Packaging Matters. As the companies make progress on developing suitable PEF applications, some or potentially all of the supply will transition to sustainable PEF with an expected carbon-negative footprint.

Origin Materials’ sustainable carbon-negative PET is physically and chemically identical to petroleum-based PET, making it equally recyclable within the existing recycling infrastructure with no disruption to recycling streams or special sorting or collection requirements.

Origin Materials co-CEO Rich Riley said, “Partnering with Packaging Matters is a natural fit because by creating better-performing, carbon-negative packaging solutions together, we aim to deliver what the most innovative companies in the world are demanding and to show the packaging industry the path to a low-carbon future.”

Chuck Buff, Founder and CEO, Packaging Matters said, “By partnering with Origin Materials and purchasing sustainable carbon-negative PET, we are one step closer to achieving our goal of delivering a carbon neutral packaging solution that drops in seamlessly to the existing recycling infrastructure. We aim to create new, better-performing products, with competitive and more stable pricing. And at the same time, we are dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of the products our customers purchase.”