Saudia Arabia chemical manufacturer Sabic has launched a new range of non-phthalate polymers, which can be used in feminine hygiene products and flexible packaging.

The products have been developed at the company’s technology centre in Riyadh to fill national and international customer demand for polypropylene products using non-phthalate catalysts.

Phthalates are chemical plasticizers that have been widely used since the 1950s to soften plastics that would otherwise be brittle. Yet because phthalates are not chemically bound to the plastics they’re added to, they are continuously released into the surrounding air, food or liquid, and can be regarded as toxic or unsafe.

The new Sabic products include a spun bond non-woven fibre which can be used in baby and adult diapers, medical masks, feminine care, absorbent pads and swabs, and surgical garments and drapes and a BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) film, which can be used in flexible packaging.

Mosaed Al-Ohali, Executive Vice President at Sabic Polymers, commented, “With our new polymer range, SABIC will offer a broader choice to customers in fiber and flexible packaging segments, as part of its 2025 strategy for differentiation and creating value. We are a trusted leader in the plastics industry and are constantly adopting strategies to cope with the industry’s emerging requirements and challenges, and position ourselves to take advantage of new market opportunities.”

Commenting on the innovative product, Ernesto Occhiello, executive vice president, SABIC Technology & Innovation, said, “Our technology teams have adapted and responded to changing market requirements. We are relentlessly pursuing innovative technologies to bring about broad-based improvements in our products and will maintain this momentum for meeting changing market requirements.”