SIBUR Develops New Grade of Polypropylene for Hygiene Products

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 30 July 2025 - SIBUR, Russia's largest polymer producer, has developed a new grade of polypropylene designed for use in hygiene and medical products. The company expects to sell over 1,000 tonnes of this polymer grade by the end of 2025.

The new product was created by the SIBUR PolyLab research centre and the Nizhnekamskneftekhim plant, in collaboration with the R&D team from a leading Russian manufacturer of hygiene products that supplies nonwoven materials to multinational companies.

The new polypropylene grade, PP MG182 K, has proven to be an effective alternative to traditional hygiene solutions that rely on blends of several polymer grades. Its technical properties make it suitable for supply both within Russia and to international markets as a raw material for the production of nonwoven fabrics.

Over the past two decades, the use of polypropylene-based nonwovens (spunbond fabrics) in the hygiene and medical sectors has grown considerably. Since consumers value the softness of materials that come into direct contact with the skin, manufacturers have traditionally relied on special additives to enhance the softness of polypropylene spunbond.

SIBUR has successfully developed a proprietary polypropylene copolymer that provides the required softness without the use of foreign additives that are no longer available in the Russian market. The development team also aims to further improve the material to eliminate the use of phthalates, additives facing stricter regulation in several countries. This enhancement will broaden the scope of application of the copolymer grade as well as its export potential.