| HS Code | 478820 |
| Product Name | Ecopond Flex-262 Flexible PE/PP-Like Blown/Cast Film Polylactic Acid |
| Grade | Flex-262 |
| Polymer Type | Polylactic Acid (PLA) |
| Form | Resin pellets |
| Appearance | White to off-white pellets |
| Density | 1.20-1.30 g/cm³ |
| Melt Flow Rate | 2-6 g/10 min at 190°C/2.16 kg |
| Melting Temperature | 145-160°C |
| Glass Transition Temperature | 55-60°C |
| Tensile Strength | 25-40 MPa |
| Elongation At Break | 200-400% |
| Flexural Modulus | 500-1500 MPa |
| Vicat Softening Point | 55-60°C |
| Heat Deflection Temperature | 50-55°C |
| Film Characteristics | PE/PP-like flexibility and heat sealability |
| Processing Method | Blown film and cast film extrusion |
| Processing Temperature | 160-210°C |
| Film Thickness Range | 10-100 µm |
| Biobased Content | >90% renewable carbon |
| Biodegradation Rate | ≥90% in 180 days |
| Compostability | Compostable per EN 13432 and ASTM D6400 |
| Food Contact | Suitable for food contact |
As an accredited Ecopond Flex-262 Flexible PE/PP-Like Blown/Cast Film Polylactic Acid factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Ecopond Flex-262 is supplied in 25 kg moisture-resistant, polyethylene-lined paper bags, palletized and stretch-wrapped for secure industrial transport. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL: Ecopond Flex-262 flexible PLA blown/cast film on pallets, shrink-wrapped, moisture-protected, evenly distributed, strapped and secured for sea freight. |
| Shipping | Ecopond Flex-262 Flexible PE/PP-Like Blown/Cast Film Polylactic Acid is not classified as dangerous goods for transport by road, sea, rail, or air. Ship in sealed, moisture-barrier packaging or lined containers. Keep cool, dry, and away from heat, moisture, and direct sunlight. Follow all local transport regulations. |
| Storage | Store Ecopond Flex-262 in original sealed packaging in a cool, dry, well-ventilated warehouse. Protect from direct sunlight, UV, moisture, heat, and ignition sources. Keep away from strong acids, bases, and oxidizers. Maintain temperatures below 30°C (86°F); avoid physical damage. Use first-in, first-out stock rotation. Do not store near food, feed, or drinking water. Follow SDS and local regulations. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 12 months when stored in unopened original packaging under cool, dry conditions, away from direct sunlight. |
When Flex-262 is directed into short-shelf-life retail produce bags and checkout carrier bags, the blown-film line must be configured around PLA rheology rather than LDPE screw and die settings. Pre-drying in a desiccant dryer with a dew point of −40 °C at 80 °C for 4–6 h is mandatory once pellets have been exposed to ambient relative humidity above 60%; residual moisture must remain below 250 ppm to prevent hydrolysis-induced viscosity loss and bubble fracture. Screw configuration uses a low-shear barrier design with a Maddock mixer, L/D 24:1 to 30:1, compression ratio 3.0:1, and an oil-cooled feed throat held at 30–40 °C; melt temperature is maintained at 185–205 °C, and die pressure is kept below 120 bar to limit shear heating. Die gap is set at 0.8–1.2 mm with a blow-up ratio of 2.0:1–3.0:1, and the frost line is held at 4–8 die diameters from a dual-lip air ring to stabilize the bubble. Melt filter packs of 40/60/80 mesh are installed at the breaker plate to trap partially melted particles. Slip/antiblock masterbatch is added at 0.5–2.0 wt% to prevent blocking on the collapsing frame and downstream wicket bag conversion; the exact addition level is adjusted after film-to-film coefficient of friction testing per ISO 8295, with final values typically kept below 0.35. Heat-seal settings of 110–130 °C and dwell times of 0.5–1.0 s are used on side-weld bag machines. Food-contact compliance for finished bags requires overall migration below 10 mg/dm² under test conditions specified in EU Regulation 10/2011, and industrial compostability must be demonstrated according to EN 13432:2000 or ASTM D6400-21. Terminal products include transparent produce bags, checkout carrier bags, and wicket-sealed salad bags. Continuous service temperature must remain below 45 °C to avoid dimension loss in warm retail environments.
| Parameter | Blown Film | Cast Film |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-drying | 80 °C, 4–6 h, desiccant dryer | 80 °C, 4–6 h, desiccant dryer |
| Residual moisture | <250 ppm | <250 ppm |
| Melt temperature | 185–205 °C | 190–210 °C |
| Die gap | 0.8–1.2 mm | 0.4–0.8 mm |
| Blow-up ratio / cooling | 2.0:1–3.0:1 | chill roll 15–30 °C |
| Screw configuration | L/D 24:1–30:1, compression 3.0:1 | |
| Slip/antiblock masterbatch | 0.5–2.0 wt% | 0.5–2.0 wt% |
Cast-film sealant webs produced from Flex-262 are used as the innermost layer in compostable laminated sachets, pouches, and tray lidding for low-moisture foods. The cast process uses a narrower die gap of 0.4–0.8 mm, melt temperatures of 190–210 °C, and a chill roll temperature between 15 °C and 30 °C to reduce quench-induced haze and to preserve sealant surface energy. Seal initiation temperature is typically 60–80 °C, but actual seal strength is governed by the time-temperature-pressure envelope on the jaw sealer and by slip additives, which migrate to the surface and reduce sealing performance above 1.0 wt%. Heat-seal strength should be tested per ASTM F88/F88M; a minimum seal strength of 8 N/25 mm is commonly required for vertical form-fill-seal pillow pouches, though published data for this specific grade is limited. Corona treatment at 42–48 dyn/cm measured per ISO 8296 is applied before lamination, and line speeds above 50 m/min require vacuum box or electrostatic pinning to hold the web to the chill roll. Lamination to cellulose or barrier PLA substrate requires a compostable adhesive that complies with EN 13432:2000 and food-contact requirements under EU Regulation 10/2011; the final laminate must not exceed 10 mg/dm² overall migration. Terminal products include compostable flow-wrap films for bakery goods, sachet stock for dry beverage powders, and lidding films for chilled low-moisture snacks.
Flex-262 can be converted into thin agricultural mulch film, but soil degradation claims must not be inferred from industrial compostability certification alone. PLA degrades in industrial composting conditions at 58 °C and high moisture, whereas temperate soil temperatures of 10–25 °C slow hydrolysis significantly; published data for PLA soil biodegradation under EN 17033:2018 is limited, and many PLA-based mulch films require blends with soil-biodegradable aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters to meet the 24-month soil disintegration threshold. The extrusion window for thin mulch film is 12–20 µm in thickness, with a blow-up ratio of 2.5:1–3.5:1 and a die gap of 0.8–1.0 mm; the bubble must be cooled with high-velocity air to minimize crystallization, which would embrittle thin gauge. Black masterbatch addition of 2–5 wt% is typical for UV stabilization, and the concentrate must be pre-dried with the PLA to avoid chip-feed moisture variation. Amine-based additive packages should be avoided because they can accelerate melt instability and viscosity drift. The terminal product is short-season row crop mulch, but field service life claims should be limited to 90–120 days unless prolonged soil burial data generated under EN 17033:2018 confirm longer functionality.
Shrink sleeve label stock converted from Flex-262 introduces a post-extrusion orientation step that is absent from standard collapsed-blown or cast film operations. The primary film is extruded as a quenched sheet, then reheated to 65–80 °C and stretched in the machine direction at draw ratios of 3:1–5:1; transverse shrinkage is controlled by tenter frame or final MD relaxation. The orientation temperature is close to the glass transition of PLA, so temperature uniformity across preheat rolls must remain within ±2 °C to avoid gauge bands and differential shrink force. Shrink sleeves made from PLA require lower tunnel temperatures than PETG or OPS: 80–95 °C steam or hot-air tunnels are used, and final label shrinkage must be tested according to ISO 14616. Food-contact compliance for sleeves follows EU Regulation 10/2011, and the finished sleeves must be removed from packaging before industrial composting if the sleeve is not certified to EN 13432:2000. Terminal products include tamper-evident neck bands, full-body beverage sleeve labels, and multipack shrink bundling film for dry goods.
| Framework | Scope | Application-Specific Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| EU Regulation 10/2011 | Plastic food contact materials | Overall migration ≤10 mg/dm²; final film testing per EN 1186 series |
| FDA 21 CFR 177.1500(a)(2) | Polyester resins for food contact | Confirm FCN or supplier listing; end-use temperature and food type restrictions apply |
| EN 13432:2000 | Industrial compostability | Disintegration <12 weeks; ≥90% biodegradation in 180 days; ecotoxicity |
| ASTM D6400-21 | Industrial compostability | Aerobic compost criteria; heavy metal limits |
| EN 17033:2018 | Soil-biodegradable mulch film | Soil biodegradation and ecotoxicity; field service claims must be validated |
| REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 | Chemical safety | SVHC, restriction, and packaging material declaration |
For dry-goods form-fill-seal pillow pouches, Flex-262 supplies stiffness, dead-fold, and sealability but does not provide the water vapour barrier of LDPE or metallised PET. Reported water vapour transmission rates for uncoated PLA films range from 100 g/(m²·day) to 300 g/(m²·day) at 38 °C/90% RH depending on film thickness and crystallinity, measured per ISO 15106-3 or ASTM F1249; published data for this specific grade is limited. Dry-goods applications therefore require a high-barrier coating or lamination. Silicon oxide or aluminium metallization can reduce WVTR to 0.5–2.0 g/(m²·day), but the resulting laminate may compromise industrial compostability unless the barrier layer is removed or certified compostable. The pillow pouch packaging line must use a jaw sealer with independent temperature control for both jaws, because residual heat from the bottom jaw can distort PLA film above 55 °C. Seal temperature is set at 110–135 °C, seal pressure 0.3–0.7 MPa, and dwell time 0.4–1.0 s; seal strength is verified according to ASTM F88/F88M. Terminal products include dry-mix pouches for powdered drink mixes, granola pouches, and compostable coffee bag liners.
Chilled produce display packaging requires an anti-fog surface to prevent condensation from obscuring product visibility. Flex-262 cast film is modified with a food-contact-approved anti-fog additive at 1–3 wt%; the additive migrates to the film surface and reduces water contact angle below 40° when tested by sessile drop method according to ASTM D5946. The cast line must maintain a chill roll temperature of 20–30 °C and a melt temperature of 190–205 °C; excessive quench rates freeze in amorphous structure, which increases anti-fog migration rate but reduces heat-seal strength. Sealing is performed at 110–130 °C on a tray lidding machine, and seal strength must exceed 6 N/25 mm per ASTM F88/F88M. Anti-fog performance is time-dependent; after 7 days at 4 °C, the film must retain haze below 10% when tested according to ASTM D1003. Terminal products include lidding films for chilled cut-fruit bowls, salad trays, and ready-to-eat vegetable packs.
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Ecopond Flex-262 is positioned as a flexible polylactic acid compound formulated for blown-film and cast-film conversion where low-density polyethylene or cast polypropylene would otherwise be specified on the basis of elongation at break, tear propagation resistance, and heat-seal initiation. The product designation combines a modified PLA backbone with a PE/PP-like processing and end-use profile; published product-specific certificates for Flex-262 should be requested from the supplier because lot-to-lot values for melt volume-flow rate, tensile elongation, and dart impact are not fixed by this overview. Representative data for the flexible PLA-grade class are reported under ISO 1133-1:2022 for melt flow, ISO 527-3:2018 for film tensile properties, and ASTM D1922-23 for Elmendorf tear resistance. The material is intended for thin-gauge flexible packaging, label facestock, and cold-fill overwrap where converters require a bio-based resin with polyolefin-like ductility but cannot accept the high rigidity and low tear resistance of unmodified PLA.
The primary differentiation from rigid PLA film grades is observed in tensile elongation and tear resistance rather than in thermal stability alone. Unmodified PLA typically exhibits tensile elongation at break in the range of 2 % to 10 % under ISO 527-3:2018, while flexible PE/PP-like PLA formulations are reported in the 100 % to 400 % range depending on plasticizer content, copolymer architecture, and orientation. The trade-off is tensile modulus: rigid PLA may exceed 2,000 MPa, whereas flexible grades often fall between 300 MPa and 900 MPa. Against PBAT/PLA blends, a PLA-dominant flexible grade is generally formulated to retain higher tensile strength and bio-based carbon content, but published data for the specific Ecopond Flex-262 configuration is limited. Against PHA and PHB films, the PLA backbone allows lower melt temperatures and reduced odor, but oxygen barrier remains below polyethylene terephthalate and should be qualified using ASTM D3985-24 or the supplier’s oxygen transmission-rate certificate.
Blown-film conversion of PLA-based flexible compounds is bounded by melt strength, moisture sensitivity, and thermal degradation. The feedstock should be dried in a desiccant dryer at 80 °C for 4 h to reduce residual moisture below 250 ppm; a hopper-mounted moisture monitor reading above 150 ppm is a typical interlock setpoint to avoid viscosity loss from hydrolytic chain scission. Processing on a single-screw extruder with L/D between 24:1 and 30:1 is common, although fluoropolymer-coated die lips and spiral mandrel dies are specified to manage the lower melt strength relative to LDPE. Melt temperatures should be held between 170 °C and 190 °C; die zones may be increased to 185 °C–195 °C, but excursions above 210 °C risk lactide regeneration and yellowing in dead spots. Published data for Flex-262-specific melt strength parameters is limited; converters commonly qualify bubble stability by incrementally adjusting internal bubble cooling and blow-up ratio between 2.0:1 and 3.5:1.
Viscous heating in compression zones and spiral mandrel channels must be limited because PLA-based melts are shear-sensitive beyond 3,000 s−1; local temperature overshoot can produce acetaldehyde, lactide, and cross-sectional thickness variation. Screw designs with 24:1 L/D and low-shear barrier flights are preferred over high-compression polyolefin screws. Start-up and shutdown should be performed with a PLA-compatible purge compound rather than polyethylene or polypropylene, because polyolefin contamination creates interfacial haze bands and weak-weld delamination in film. Screen packs with 40/60/80 mesh are typical, and pressure-before-screen should not exceed 250 bar; above that threshold, degraded gel particles accumulate and produce dart-drop failures under ASTM D1709-22.
On chill-roll cast-film lines, draw resonance and neck-in are the dominant failure modes. Die gaps between 0.3 mm and 0.7 mm, an air gap below 25 cm, and chill-roll temperatures from 15 °C to 30 °C are typical for flexible PLA compounds when high clarity and low haze are required. Excessive air-gap distance increases crystallization time before quenching and produces optical defects, while too-short gaps create roll-wrap and blocking on winding. The cast-film route is generally preferred over blown film when optical clarity below 5 % haze under ASTM D1003-21 must be maintained at thicknesses below 30 µm. Unlike polypropylene, edge trim from PLA cast film cannot be indiscriminately recycled into polyolefin reclaim streams; regrind ratios above 20 % begin to reduce dart impact and tear, requiring periodic viscosity measurement under ISO 1133-1:2022.
Film property comparisons for the flexible PLA-grade class are made using ISO 527-3:2018, ASTM D1922-23, ASTM D1003-21, and ASTM F88/F88M-21. These values depend on thickness, orientation, and additive package, and should not be read as a Flex-262 certificate of analysis. The following ranges are compiled from published literature for representative rigid PLA, flexible PLA/PE-like film, and LDPE film references.
| Parameter | Rigid PLA film | Flexible PLA/PE-like film | LDPE reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drying temperature | 80 °C | 80 °C | Not required |
| Drying time | 4 h | 4 h | Not applicable |
| Melt temperature | 190 °C–210 °C | 170 °C–190 °C | 160 °C–190 °C |
| Blown-film die gap | 0.8 mm–1.5 mm | 0.8 mm–1.2 mm | 0.8 mm–2.0 mm |
| Blow-up ratio | 2.0:1–4.0:1 | 2.0:1–3.5:1 | 2.0:1–4.0:1 |
| Chill-roll temperature | 15 °C–30 °C | 15 °C–30 °C | 15 °C–30 °C |
After orientation, the balance between tear and modulus should be qualified by film thickness rather than by resin type alone. At 25 µm, flexible PLA film can exhibit machine-direction tensile strength above 30 MPa while retaining elongation above 150 %; these values decrease when regrind concentration exceeds 15 % or when moisture is not controlled. Haze values below 5 % are attainable on cast-film lines with polished chill rolls, but blown-film haze is typically higher because of internal bubble scatter and frost-line instability.
Relative to PBAT/PLA blown-film blends, a PE/PP-like PLA such as Flex-262 is formulated to retain a higher modulus and tensile strength while sacrificing some ultimate elongation. PBAT-rich films frequently exceed 300 % elongation under ISO 527-3:2018 but may exhibit creep and tensile strength below 20 MPa; PLA-dominated flexible grades can preserve tensile strength above 30 MPa. Against plasticized starch films, the moisture resistance of PLA is higher, but water vapor transmission remains above polyolefin benchmarks and should be measured under ISO 15106-3:2023 before barrier packaging is attempted. For converters seeking industrial compostability, EN 13432:2000 certification is additive-package dependent; the base PLA backbone is compostable under industrial aerobic conditions, but lubricants, slip agents, and antioxidant packages must be individually verified for ecotoxicity and heavy-metal limits.
Heat-seal strength in flexible PLA films is governed by jaw temperature, dwell time, and pressure, but the available window is narrower than that of LDPE. Seal initiation for flexible PLA grades is commonly reported between 80 °C and 110 °C under ASTM F88/F88M-21, whereas LDPE initiates near 95 °C–115 °C. Above 130 °C, PLA film becomes tacky and can stick to sealing jaws; release liners or Teflon-coated seal bars are required above that threshold. Dwell times of 0.3 s to 0.8 s are typical at pressures between 2 bar and 4 bar. Because PLA retains heat poorly compared with polyolefins, excessive dwell time degrades the seal interface and reduces burst strength.
Film slip and antiblock packages dominate seal contamination behavior. Erucamide and oleamide migration rates in PLA differ from polyethylene; converters should verify coefficient of friction under ISO 8295:1995 after 72 h of aging, because fast blooming can oversaturate the seal surface and reduce seal strength by more than 20 %. Silica-based antiblock is preferred over calcium carbonate when high transparency and low haze are required, but particle size should remain below 5 µm to avoid pinholes in thin film.
For cold-fill overwrap, label facestock, and carton window applications, converter trials should include sealer temperature profiling at line speeds from 30 m/min to 100 m/min. Winding tension should be limited to 0.2 N/mm–0.5 N/mm of web width to prevent blocking and tin-canning of flexible PLA rolls. Corona treatment at 2 kW–4 kW and 38 mN/m–44 mN/m surface energy is commonly used for lamination or printing; although published data for this specific configuration is limited, the treatment window is shorter than for polypropylene and should be validated on-machine before long runs.
Compliance for food-contact film is determined by the total formulation rather than by the PLA resin alone. The converter must obtain supplier declarations covering the base polymer, plasticizer or secondary polymer phase, nucleating agents, slip agents, antioxidants, and processing aids. For EU applications, (EC) No 1935/2004 and the consolidated plastics regulation (EU) No 10/2011 as amended by (EU) 2020/1245 apply; overall migration must not exceed 10 mg/dm² under the intended food simulant and time-temperature conditions. For US applications, the specific clearance may reside under FDA 21 CFR 175.300 or a food-contact notification rather than a generic PLA clearance. RoHS obligations under 2011/65/EU Annex II impose lead 0.1 %, mercury 0.1 %, cadmium 0.01 %, and hexavalent chromium 0.1 % thresholds by weight for homogeneous materials. REACH Annex XVII restricts specific substances, and candidate-list substances above 0.1 % w/w require notification.
| Framework | Relevant designation | Verification requirement |
|---|---|---|
| EU food-contact framework | (EC) No 1935/2004 | Supplier declaration with substance-specific compliance |
| EU plastics regulation | (EU) No 10/2011 with (EU) 2020/1245 | Overall migration limit 10 mg/dm²; specific migration limits for additives |
| US food-contact | FDA 21 CFR 175.300 or applicable FCN | Conditions of use and additive clearances |
| REACH Annex XVII | EC 1907/2006 | No listed restricted substance above threshold |
| RoHS | 2011/65/EU Annex II | Lead 0.1 %, cadmium 0.01 %, mercury 0.1 %, hexavalent chromium 0.1 % |
| Industrial compostability | EN 13432:2000 / ISO 17088:2021 | Biodegradation, disintegration, ecotoxicity, heavy metals |
Published data for the specific Ecopond Flex-262 formulation under extended-use food-contact conditions is limited; migration testing on the finished film structure using the intended food simulant remains the operative requirement before commercial use. The same holds for industrial compostability: resin-level claims do not automatically extend to printed, laminated, or adhesive-bonded structures. Converters should require a lot-specific statement from the supplier that identifies the bio-based carbon fraction, the complete additive list, and the designated processing aids.
