For decades, plastic materials have been designed with a clear objective: durability. Today, some applications require a different approach: considering a material’s end-of-life from the very beginning of its design.
Agriculture, horticulture, forestry, outdoor activities… In these sectors, certain plastic items are difficult to recover after use. Once exposed to natural conditions, they may gradually fragment and contribute to the persistence of microplastics in soils and ecosystems.
At the same time, manufacturers face growing expectations to reduce plastic use while maintaining performance levels compatible with their applications, production constraints and economic realities.
As regulations surrounding persistent microplastics and plastics abandoned in the environment continue to tighten, the question is no longer simply “How do we manufacture?” but also “How do we manage a material’s end-of-life after use?”
It is in this context that Lactips has developed Enosis®, its range of biodegradable hybrid compounds designed to support the transition toward solutions that are less dependent on fossil-based plastics.
Enosis®: A new way to structure the lactips offering
At Lactips, CareTips®, our historic brand, refers to our natural polymer.
With Enosis®, we are clarifying another part of our portfolio: biodegradable compounds that combine CareTips® with other bioplastics to broaden the range of properties available for specific applications.
Enosis® is not the launch of an entirely new material. Rather, it represents an evolution of our offering, making it easier to identify solutions developed to address specific industrial needs, particularly where accelerated biodegradation is a key requirement.
With Enosis®, Lactips expands its expertise into biodegradable compounds that deliver complementary technical properties while maintaining a strong focus on reducing persistent microplastics.
Why call it a “hybrid” material?
Because Enosis® combines different material technologies to unlock new application possibilities while maintaining a central objective: providing more suitable alternatives for applications exposed to the environment.
This approach enables Lactips to complement its portfolio with a pragmatic transition solution designed to gradually support the shift from fossil-based materials to more sustainable alternatives.
Reducing persistent microplastics in the environment
In certain applications, fully recovering materials after use remains complex, or even impossible.
This is particularly true for components used in:
- agriculture,
- horticulture,
- forestry,
- or outdoor activities.
When these materials are lost or abandoned in the environment, their persistence becomes a major concern for both manufacturers and regulators.
Enosis® grades have been developed to address this challenge through:
- adaptive biodegradability, ranging from home composting to biodegradation in natural soil conditions,
- the absence of persistent microplastics,
- fully or partially bio-based formulations, depending on the grade.
The objective is not only to reduce the potential environmental impact of plastics left in nature, but also to help manufacturers anticipate increasingly demanding regulatory and sustainability expectations.
A solution designed for industry
The transition toward more sustainable materials can only succeed if it remains compatible with industrial realities.
That is why Enosis® grades have been designed to be processed using standard injection molding and extrusion technologies.
In practical terms, this means manufacturers can integrate these materials without completely redesigning their production equipment, although some process adjustments, such as processing temperatures, may still be required.
The ambition behind Enosis® is to deliver meaningful environmental benefits without compromising the technical requirements of industrial applications. While many solutions primarily differentiate themselves through technical performance, Enosis® aims to combine performance with accelerated biodegradation and reduced persistent microplastic generation.
Today, the range includes several grades offering different levels of bio-based content and application performance. This diversity makes it possible to tailor material properties to technical requirements, usage conditions and environmental objectives.
Real-world applications already being explored
Enosis® primarily targets technical applications exposed to natural conditions, where material recovery is particularly challenging.
Applications already explored include seedling shelters that biodegrade in soil once the young plant is strong enough to grow independently, vineyard clips that are often lost at the end of the season, and golf tees that are frequently left behind after use.
In these contexts, environmental performance becomes a genuine design criterion, alongside mechanical properties, durability and industrial processability.
The objective is no longer simply to manufacture a high-performing product, but also to consider its potential impact after use.
A pragmatic approach to material transition
The transition toward more sustainable materials will not happen overnight. It is built application by application, market by market and material by material.
Within this framework, Enosis® provides a practical transition solution capable of addressing current technical and regulatory challenges while helping reduce the impact of persistent plastics in applications particularly exposed to the environment.
As with any technical solution, material selection must be assessed in light of the application, its operating environment and applicable regulations.
At Lactips, we favour an approach based on data transparency, performance characterization and the alignment between a material and its intended end use.
With Enosis®, Lactips further expands its portfolio of biodegradable hybrid compounds and supports manufacturers in making a concrete transition toward mor circular materials.
