Making bags and accessories from waste materials, especially truck tarpaulins - this is the creed of FREITAG. Now, the Swiss manufacturer is planning the next important milestone: Together with various industry partners, including Covestro, the company is developing a truck tarpaulin that can be reworked into new products at any time as needed, or even The same is true after long-term use as a FREITAG bag. If that wasn't enough, it'll also be part of a new endless cycle that has a much lower carbon footprint than previous disposals of bags at the end of their useful life.

In this application, the demands on the materials are very high: they have to be fully recyclable, which means that they can not only be recycled but also reused in new products. When used as a truck tarp, the priority is to withstand the harsh conditions of European transit routes. To do this, the tarpaulin must be waterproof and stain-resistant. It will then be used in high-quality, durable FREITAG bags, which can finally be chemically broken down again into its constituent parts and then used as the basis for new products.



Covestro and Heytex project progressing well

As an experienced partner fully focused on the circular economy, Covestro plays an important role in one of FREITAG's several solutions. Together with tarpaulin manufacturer Heytex, Covestro is developing a solution based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as a coating on strong polyester fabrics. TPU has a wide range of hardness, from 60 Shore A to 80 Shore D, and can be machined with many different processes. This high-quality plastic is the material of choice when mechanical requirements are high, but flexibility and good abrasion resistance are also required.

TPU has been mechanically recycled for decades. This project uses chemical recycling to complete the cycle without the need for down-cycling, which is another reason for the choice of this plastic, in addition to its known advantages. In the Cradle2Cradle1 analysis, Desmopan's 6783A DPS045 grade even passed the stringent requirements for calendering plastics. The collaborative project with Heytex has come a long way and the TPU has now passed health and safety tests.

The two partners are currently working on the problem of material separation between fabrics and coatings, which is not expected to be achieved in a few years. So the team is simultaneously working on a new, revolutionary tarpaulin structure that could overcome this challenge.