Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Pfinztal and the Fraunhofer spin-off TECNARO GmbH have developed a material called ARBOFORM®, a type of "liquid wood" or bio-plastic that can safely be used in the manufacture of toys. It is made from lignin and natural fibers and wax, low in sulfur content and waterproof and recyclable.

We were able to reduce the sulfur content in ARBOFORM by about 90 percent, and produced Nativity figurines in cooperation with Schleich GmbH. Other products are now at the planning stage," says TECNARO's managing director Helmut Nägele. This is a challenging task: Sulfur-free lignins are usually soluble in water - and therefore unsuitable for toys. On no account must they dissolve if they are left out in the rain or if children suck them. With the aid of suitable additives, the TECNARO scientists were able to modify the bio-plastic in such a way that it survives contact with water and saliva undamaged. Can the material be recycled? "To find that out, we produced components, broke them up into small pieces, and re-processed the broken pieces - ten times in all. We did not detect any change in the material properties of the low-sulfur bio-plastic, so that means it can be recycled," says Inone-Kauffmann.

Photo shows nativity figurines made from the material, with other products in the planning stage.