Good For Business, Good For The Environment:    An Interview With NatureWorks LLC

In today’s tough economic times it is always refreshing to hear from a company that is experiencing great growth. It is even more satisfying when that company is also doing good things for the environment. At NatureWorks LLC, New Showcase Sponsor for Good And Green™-The Green Marketing Conference, that is exactly what has been happening. Over the past several years, their line of plant-based materials has made it possible for brands to create products and packaging in more sustainable ways. Steve Davies, global marketing director of NatureWorks LLC recently spoke with Patti Minglin, editor of Good And Green ™ E-ssentials, about the innovative ways companies are using these materials and what exciting things attendees will be able to see during this year’s New Product Showcase at Good And Green™.

Minglin: What is NatureWorks , LLC and its overall mission as a company?
Davies: NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer a family of commercially available low carbon footprint polymers derived from 100% annually renewable resources with the cost and performance that compete with petroleum-based packaging materials and fibers. Overall, our mission as a company is to bring performance materials to market.

Minglin: Since you’ve been in the green space for a while, what changes have you noticed?
Davies: Originally, we were considered kind of “out there,” but now we are able to really establish ourselves above the green cliché. Everyone wants to be green, but consumers are looking for brands and retailers to really represent their true values. We were formed being green so now we work with our clients to reinforce our message of sustainability and help them communicate that to their own customers.

We are also seeing changes in how our products are used. Packaging has always been one of our biggest segments—everything from flexible bags to windowed envelopes to beverage bottles. But now we are seeing real growth with durable products such as lap tops and even automotive. Sony has long worked with our plastics and Samsung introduced a new phone during the Beijing Olympics, the Samsung E200 Eco, which is made from Ingeo bioplastic, a plant-based materials.

Minglin: Your company is known for Ingeo™, a proprietary polylactide biopolymer that you create by processing natural plant sugars. How is this product currently being used?
Davies: It sells into two different markets—plastics and fibers and is being used with durable goods such as cosmetic cases to home textiles and apparel. As a fiber, Ingeo™ combines the qualities of natural and performance fibers, offering strength and resilience and good moisture management characteristics. All this is balanced with comfort, softness and drape—making it an ingenious fabric innovation for both fashion, furnishings and even personal care. Our client Kimberly-Clark has just introduced a new baby diaper in Korea using Ingeo™.

Minglin: You are the New Product Showcase Sponsor for Good And Green™--what can attendees look forward to seeing from you this year?
Davies: There are so many exciting things being done with our materials. Earlier this year we held our first Innovation Conference where hundreds of people gathered to discuss how they use our materials. We had speakers from 3M, Toyota, Ford—it was amazing and so electric. During Good And Green™ we plan to showcase some of those products and ideas—giving attendees the opportunity to not only see what can be done, but physically touch and feel our materials.

Minglin: What new and exciting things are you doing at NatureWorks LLC?
Davies: We are most excited about how our materials are being used with durables as well as the growth we are seeing in fibers, especially non-wovens. Three years ago we sort of reached the tipping point. Oil prices were going up, there was a growing consumer eco-movement and then there was the Wal-Mart affect. Once Wal-Mart made the decision to become more sustainable—demanding more sustainability from their vendors—we saw an increase in demand for Ingeo™. This demand has made it necessary for us to expand—practically doubling our output as we go into the new year.

Minglin: Wow—that’s exciting news! Congratulations on all the great things you are doing and I look forward to seeing you at Good And Green™.