Why aren’t big companies making the switch?
Despite the clear environmental benefits, major manufacturers have yet to embrace cornstarch-based products fully. One reason is that these sustainable alternatives require commercial-scale production to become cost-effective for the mass market.
But the good news is that corn is already one of the most widely grown crops in the world. It’s used not only as food and livestock feed but also in producing biofuels and industrial materials. This global supply chain makes it relatively easy for companies to purchase the raw materials needed to make PLA products.
Because cornstarch is already being grown in large quantities around the world, it could be readily integrated into existing supply systems. That means companies wouldn’t need to create new infrastructures to adopt the material.