Asahi Kasei’s sustainable nonwoven fabric Bemliese has been certified as “OK biodegradable MARINE” by TUV Austria Belgium. Bemliese is also certified for industrial compost, home compost and soil biodegradability. The material is made of cotton linter and is suitable for disposable goods and applications such as cosmetic facial masks, hygiene applications and medical sterilization and cleaning equipment. Bemliese can be used dry or wet, with a higher rate of absorbency than cotton gauze, rayon/PET or nonwoven cotton.
Linter, fibers on cotton seeds, was originally a pre-consumer waste byproduct of the traditional cotton harvesting process, and now has been converted to about 3% of the total yield.
