The ECORISE™ PLA spunbond nonwoven developed by Mitsui Chemicals Asahi Life Materials Co., Ltd. has been adopted as a packaging material for tennis racquets sold by sporting goods manufacturer Yonex Co., Ltd. ECORISE™ will be used for the packaging of tennis racquets slated for a rolling global launch starting February 2024.
Yonex is pursuing eco-friendly production as part of its sustainability efforts, which involves minimizing packaging for various products while ensuring transportation times and quality assurance are not compromised. For this initiative, Yonex is replacing the nylon cases previously used for its tennis racquets with packaging that utilizes ECORISE™, thereby reducing the use of materials primarily made from petroleum-derived plastic.
The use of embossing technology for the Yonex logo, along with ultrasonic welding technology for producing the nonwoven bags, has enabled the creation of eco-friendly packaging that eliminates the need for pigments and adhesives.
The certification scheme, OK compost, is managed by the Belgian-based certification center of Austrian testing, inspection, and certification company TÜV AUSTRIA, ensuring the biodegradability of the materials used.
Established in October 2023 following a joint incorporation-type demerger for the nonwovens businesses of Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and Asahi Kasei Corporation, this new joint venture began business in the same month and aims to be a leader in the global nonwovens market. It seeks to capitalize on its technological strength to meet social needs, combining the technologies and expertise of its two parent companies.
By leveraging the unique products provided by its parent companies since the early 1970s across various fields, this joint venture aims to maximize synergies. The company intends to use nonwovens products to offer solutions essential to everyday life, contributing to solving social issues and enhancing people’s quality of life.
