On March 11, Leaf Biotech and DeFuren signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Shanghai, China, and announced the establishment of a joint research and development center. In the future, both parties will conduct in-depth R&D cooperation and industrialization cooperation on the application of bio-based polyester PEF in the fiber field. At the same time, after more than a year of in-depth R&D cooperation, both sides have achieved the large-scale production of fully bio-based polyester BioFleax™ PEF short fibers for the first time in the industry.

Signing Ceremony of the "Joint Innovation Center for Biomass-based New Materials"

At the press conference, Defulun and Life Biotech held a grand signing ceremony. Representatives from both sides, Mr. Hu Shufeng from Defulun and Mr. Luo Zhao from Life Biotech, signed a strategic cooperation agreement on establishing the "Joint Innovation Center for Bio-based New Materials" to jointly develop and promote bio-based new materials, under the witness of the attendees, and together unveiled the plaque for the joint innovation center.

Jointly released BioFleax™ PEF short fiber

group photo at the press conference

Shanghai Defulong New Material Technology Co., Ltd. Executive Director Yang Weizhong introduced in his speech that as a national-level "specialized, refined, unique, and new" little giant enterprise, Defulong has built a full industry chain system from basic research and development to market services over the years. It owns four advanced domestic polyester short fiber flexible production lines, with products covering six major categories of differentiated polyester fiber products: fine denier, irregular shape, modified, functional, colored, and bio-based. These are widely applied in various fields such as clothing, home textiles, high-speed rail, domestically produced aircraft, branded cars, space suits, and high-end yachts worldwide. In the field of differentiated polyester fibers, Defulong, relying on the collaborative innovation of "government, industry, academia, research, and application," has successfully mass-produced BioFleax™ PEF fiber, a bio-based material made from 100% renewable plant resources. The company will join hands with Life Biotech to establish a joint innovation center for bio-based new materials, continuously promoting the technological upgrade of bio-based fibers, leading the low-carbon transformation of the textile industry with the "greenness of fibers."

▲Yang Weizhong

Luo Zhao, Chief Marketing Officer of Hefei Life Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and General Manager of Hangzhou Life Biotechnology Co., Ltd., gave a presentation titled "Development and Prospects of Bio-based Aromatic Materials FDCA & PEF." He stated that Life Biotechnology is currently the only company in the world to mass-produce polymer-grade FDCA at the thousand-ton level. Based on FDCA, Life Biotechnology has developed fully bio-based aromatic polyester PEF. Apart from having a chemical structure similar to petroleum-based polyester PET, PEF also possesses multiple advantages such as being "bio-based," "recyclable," and "high-performance." For example, when used as packaging material, its oxygen barrier property is 6 to 11 times that of PET, and its gas barrier property is 15 times that of PET. Over the past decade, Life has expanded the application of bio-based aromatic materials in fields such as food and beverages, textiles and apparel, 3C automotive, and aerospace, establishing strategic partnerships with many Fortune 500 companies. The company is currently building the world's first flagship factory for ten-thousand-ton level bio-based aromatic materials, aiming to establish high-quality, large-scale supply capabilities and contribute to the green development of the chemical fiber industry.

▲Luo Zhao

Hu Shufeng, R&D Director of Shanghai Defulun New Material Technology Co., Ltd., presented a report titled "Exploration of Fully Bio-based BioFleax™ PEF Fiber." He stated that as a new generation of bio-based material solution, BioFleax™ PEF fiber uses 100% non-food biomass as raw material, reducing carbon emissions by about 50% compared to traditional materials. The molecular structure of BioFleax™ PEF fiber is similar to PET, but it also has high thermal stability, high toughness, low processing energy consumption, and natural antibacterial, UV resistance, moisture absorption, and breathability characteristics. It supports recycling compatible with PET, providing the textile industry with an environmentally friendly, high-performance, and sustainable solution.

▲Hu Shufeng