Packaging engineers and product developers evaluating transparent, bio-based resins for cosmetic packaging can review a new application: DURABIO™, a plant-derived bio-engineering plastic from Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, has been adopted for the compact cases of “Excia Eye Color Volonte,” part of the “ALBION Excia Makeup Collection.” ALBION Co., Ltd. will offer the collection for a limited time starting November 1, 2026. By combining DURABIO™ with other transparent resins and injection molding the mixture, the cases achieve a texture reminiscent of natural seashells.
High transparency and excellent optical properties
DURABIO™ is a bio-engineering plastic made primarily from plant-derived isosorbide. According to Mitsubishi Chemical, the material offers high transparency and excellent optical properties, and, in addition to its plant-derived raw material content, provides excellent weather resistance and durability.
The case design shifts in appearance depending on viewing angle and lighting, creating a sense of depth through its texture. Combining DURABIO™ with other transparent resins, such as PET, lets differences in optical properties create pearlescent designs, while flow patterns can be manipulated during injection molding to produce designs that resemble seashells.
Mixing different resins typically makes the resulting material less robust and more prone to cracking. Mitsubishi Chemical reports that DURABIO™’s durability offsets this trade-off, enhancing both the design and the strength of the compact cases – the reason the company cites for selecting DURABIO™ for this application.
Mitsubishi Chemical states it will continue seeking wider uses for DURABIO™, aiming to provide customers with further high-value-added solutions.
You can review DURABIO™ portfolio and access technical data directly in the Master Catalog of Plastics.