GORINCHEM, Netherlands – TotalEnergies Corbion, a global leader in polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastics, and YuhanKimberly, a pioneer in sustainable consumer hygiene products, today announced the successful commercialization of a new generation of washable, biobased kitchen towels, marking a major milestone in their multiyear joint development partnership.
The product, officially launched in 2026, is the result of more than three years of close collaboration between the two companies, combining YuhanKimberly’s application development expertise and market leadership with TotalEnergies Corbion’s Luminy® PLA, which has been solely qualified for this application following extensive development, testing, and industrial validation.
A MultiYear CoDevelopment Built on Scientific and Industrial Expertise
Since the project’s inception, TotalEnergies Corbion and YuhanKimberly have worked together across the entire value chain – from material formulation and process optimization to downstream performance validation – toward the shared goal of developing highperformance, renewablecontent wipe solutions that meet both consumer expectations and environmental objectives.
The washable kitchen towel is manufactured using a synergistic blend of biobased materials, including:
Luminy® PLA (L130 from TotalEnergies Corbion)
PHA
FSC®certified pulp
This combination delivers durability, reusability, and functionality, while remaining entirely plantbased and aligned with circular economy principles.
Demonstrating the Power of Biobased Material Synergy
Designed to be washed and reused multiple times, the new kitchen towel represents a compelling alternative to conventional disposable wipes and paper towels. It serves as a demonstrator for how advanced biopolymers can be combined to unlock new performance and sustainability benchmarks in everyday consumer products.
“This launch is not the result of a single project, but of a longterm, trustbased partnership,” said Mr. Kevin Cho, Senior Business Development Manager at TotalEnergies Corbion. “From concept to commercialization, Luminy® PLA has been codeveloped and validated together with YuhanKimberly to meet demanding functional and sustainability criteria. We are proud that Luminy® is the PLA solution qualified for this application and that our collaboration continues to set a benchmark for biobased innovation.”
Mr. Chang-Woo Ahn, R&D officer at YuhanKimberly, added:
“This reusable dishtowel demonstrates what is possible when material science and product design are developed handinhand. Our close cooperation with TotalEnergies Corbion has enabled us to bring a differentiated, biobased product to market that reflects our longterm commitment to sustainability and innovation.”
Global Relevance and Future Expansion
While initially launched in Asia through YuhanKimberly’s established retail and online distribution channels, the application has been developed with global scalability in mind. Both companies see this product as a platform innovation, opening the door to future developments in spunbond, meltblown, and other nonwoven hygiene and wiping applications.
The collaboration also reflects the companies’ shared ambition to advance the adoption of biobased materials globally, engaging converters, brand owners, and retailers in building credible, performancedriven alternatives to fossilbased plastics.
