Top 7 Biodegradable Plastics/Bioplastics Market Companies, Worldwide 2025
In the current scenario, plastic is one of the major threats to the environment, which is increasing the concerns related to the environment across the globe. The traditional plastics are filling up the landfill, along with negatively impacting wildlife, and are also polluting the oceans, further raising concerns globally. Due to this, there is a high need for sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics, and this is where biodegradable plastics come into the picture, which is a game changer in decreasing the impact of plastic pollution.
What are Biodegradable Plastics?
Biodegradable plastics are a type of plastics that take less time to decompose rather than traditional plastics, which a long period to decompose naturally, further harming the environment. Biodegradable plastics can be easily decomposed by microorganisms, such as fungi or bacteria, into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass, under particular conditions including decomposition in industrial composting facilities.
This plastic type offers a more sustainable alternative to traditional plastics reducing the time of decomposition. These plastics provide various advantages, such as less environmental impact, compostability, and sustainability. Currently, biodegradable plastics are being largely used in different applications like agriculture, biomedical devices, food packaging, and textiles.
According to a report on biodegradable plastic market by Prophecy Market Insights, in 2024, the market size was valued at USD 9.7 Billion and is expected to reach a valuation of USD 78.4 Billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 25.8% during 2025-2035.
The key factors that are responsible for the biodegradable plastic market expansion are surging awareness related to the environmental problems including oceanic debris, plastic pollution, and many others. Additionally, the market is also witnessing growth due to the rising R&D activities, which are leading to advancements in biodegradable plastic formulations, and a surge in consumer preference toward sustainable options.
The global demand for biodegradable plastics is growing because of the strict environmental regulations against plastic for the purpose of reducing pollution. The lower plastic’s environmental impact, global governments are also introducing various subsidies that offer help to producers for marketing their products at lower prices.
What are the Types of Biodegradable Plastics?
The wide types of biodegradable are:
- PLA (Polylactic Acid) Plastics
The plastics are a type of biodegradable plastics, which are produced using fermented plant starch, such a corn, and is also one of the most common types of biodegradable plastics. These plastics are largely used in making food containers, disposable cutlery, and packaging materials. PLA plastics are highly compostable and they can be easily broken down in industrial composting facilities.
- PHA (Polyhydroxyalkanoates)
PHA refers to a family of biodegradable plastics, which are produced by the bacteria that consume starches and plants. These plastics are largely used in different applications, starting from agricultural films to packaging and medical devices. This type of biodegradable plastic can be fully decomposed in natural environments, such as soil and marine environments.
- Starch-based Plastics
The starch-based plastics are produced by mixing starch with several other biodegradable materials. These types of biodegradable plastics are widely used in applications including disposable products, packaging, and various agricultural products.
Leading Players in the Biodegradable Plastics Industry:
Arkema S.A. is a Paris, France-based multi-national company established in 2004. The company specializes in manufacturing specialty materials and has three specialty material segments including advanced materials, adhesives, and coatings. Arkema is highly focused on its research on renewable raw materials to produce bioplastics and green chemicals to reach its sustainable goals.
Founded on April 6, 1865, BASF is a European multinational company and the biggest chemical producer globally. BASF is headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF offers a large variety of biodegradable plastics including ecoflex® (PBAT) and ecovio®, which are certified compostable polymers.
Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation
Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation is a Tokyo-based Japanese company, which was founded in October 2005 due to the merger of Mitsubishi Pharma Corporation and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation. The company develops and manufactures several biodegradable plastics, such as BioPBS (bio-based polybutylene succinate) and BURABIO. The company is also focused on producing plant-derived materials and sustainability for different applications like automotive parts and packaging.
Biome Bioplastics is one the leading producers of intelligent and natural plastics in the U.K. The aim of the company is to manufacture bioplastics, which can ultimately challenge the oil-based polymers’ dominance and replace them with sustainable alternatives.
Braskem S.A. is a São Paulo, Brazil-based petrochemical company. The company is one of the leading players in the petrochemical market and is also the 8th largest manufacturer of resin globally. It is the largest producer of thermoplastic resin across the continent of America.
Founded in 1920, Eastman Chemical Company is a U.S.-based independent specialty materials company, which produces a wide range of advanced chemicals, materials, and fibers globally. The company is currently operating in 36 manufacturing sites across the globe and has an employee strength of around 14,000 employees.
Built in 2015, Polymateria Limited is a London, U.K.-based technology company. The company specializes in producing biodegradable plastic alternatives and is the company to receive a certificate of biodegradation of plastic packaging forms. The company has built a technology known as “Biotransformation” that involves the addition of masterbatch (a combination of pigments and additives) to plastics during the production process to boost the decomposition of plastics.
Conclusion:
Biodegradable plastics highlight a promising solution to fulfill the increasing concerns related to plastic pollution and its negative impact on the environment globally. Because of the rising need for more sustainable alternatives to traditional plastics, these bio-based plastics are playing an important role in decreasing waste, depleting resources, and pollution. The ability of these plastics to easily decompose in a short time period, which is anticipated by microorganisms, mainly provides a number of environmental advantages like decreased landfill accumulation and compostability. The key players in the biodegradable industry are adopting various strategies to drive innovation, along with expanding their utilization across different sectors including packaging, medical devices, and agriculture, and producing new biodegradable materials.