CJ CheilJedang is expanding commercial applications for its biodegradable PHA material across packaging, food-service products and other consumer goods, as global interest grows in alternatives to petroleum-based plastics and microplastics.
The South Korean company said Friday that its PHA technology and commercialization efforts were recently highlighted by the Associated Press in a report examining bioplastics as a potential response to plastic pollution.
The AP report introduced CJ Biomaterials, CJ CheilJedang’s U.S.-based PHA subsidiary, as a major producer in the sector and highlighted applications ranging from disposable tableware and straws to packaging and reusable paper towels. The report was also carried by U.S. media outlets including The Washington Post, ABC News, the Los Angeles Times and NBC Boston.
PHA, or polyhydroxyalkanoate, is a bio-based polymer produced through microbial fermentation using plant-derived sugars such as those obtained from sugarcane. One of its key characteristics is its ability to biodegrade under both soil and marine conditions, giving the material potential in applications where conventional plastics can persist in the environment.
Commercial-scale production remains limited to a relatively small number of companies globally. CJ CheilJedang is currently the only company producing PHA in South Korea.
The company has been working to move PHA beyond a specialty biomaterial and into everyday products.
CJ CheilJedang launched its biodegradable materials brand PHACT in 2022 and has since expanded the material into multiple commercial applications. That year, PHA was used in packaging for Korean cosmetics brand Banila Co.’s cleansing balm.
In 2024, the company developed PHA-based plastic packaging that was adopted for products delivered through Olive Young’s same-day “Today Dream” service.
Its applications have since moved beyond conventional packaging. Last year, CJ CheilJedang partnered with Swedish biomaterials compounding company BIQ Materials to apply PHA-based infill to part of an artificial-turf football field in Sweden.
The company is also supplying PHA-based straws to coffee shops in South Korea, including Paul Bassett, as well as to a major U.S. coffee chain this year.
In February, CJ CheilJedang partnered with Yuhan-Kimberly and Eugene Hanil Synthetic Fiber to launch a biodegradable reusable hygiene cloth under the Kleenex brand. The product uses biodegradable materials including PHA, PLA and pulp.
The widening range of applications illustrates a key challenge facing the bioplastics industry: translating environmental advantages into products that can compete with conventional plastics at commercial scale.
For CJ CheilJedang, securing more applications and corporate partners could be critical to building demand for PHA beyond niche uses, particularly as companies seek materials capable of reducing their reliance on petroleum-derived plastics.
“PHA is increasingly gaining attention for its biodegradability and broad potential as a material of the future,” a CJ CheilJedang official said. “We will continue to expand PHA applications into more industries through research and development and external partnerships.”
