PLA Fiber: From Plastics to Pillows
PLA stands for polylactic acid, which is a biodegradable polyester fiber made from renewable resources like corn starch or sugar cane. The amazing PLA fiber is used to make everything from food packaging to batting. This relatively inexpensive fiber is a great eco-alternative in the craft world for conventional polyester fiber fill.
Although PLA fibers are biodegradable, it is important to note you can’t just toss them to the side of the road or put them in a land fill. The FAQ site for Ingeo™, the trademark name for PLA made by NatureWorks LLC, states the PLA products can be physically recycled, industrially composted, incinerated, or chemically converted back to lactic acid through hydrolis. Ingeo™ is actually classified as compostable rather than biodegradable in the US.
