RMC 2025 Reveals Full Agenda and Innovation Award Nominees

The Renewable Materials Conference (RMC) 2025, organized by nova-Institut, will return from September 22–24 with its largest and most comprehensive edition to date. Taking place in Siegburg/Cologne, RMC 2025 brings together leading minds and companies to present cutting-edge solutions for replacing fossil carbon through biomass, CO₂ utilisation, and recycling.

As the world’s largest event focused on innovative and renewable chemicals, materials, and fossil-free plastics, this year’s conference is expected to draw over 500 participants from more than 30 countries. It will feature:

• 75 presentations
• 20 panel discussions
• 12 in-depth workshops

The final programme has now been published, and six pioneering innovations have been shortlisted for the “Renewable Material of the Year 2025” Innovation Award, sponsored by Covestro. Attendees will vote for the winner during the event.

Key Topics for RMC 2025:

1. Defossilisation of the Chemical Industry
   Innovations in alternative carbon sources, electric cracking, and lignocellulosic biorefineries.
2. Fine Chemicals
   Bio-based high-purity compounds for cosmetics, pharma, and food using biotech advancements.
3. Fossil-Free Plastics
   Innovations in plastic production using biomass, CO₂, and recycled inputs, with 22 presentations and the award segment.
4. Policy and Economic Frameworks
   Legislative updates around the EU Green Deal and sustainable carbon cycles.
5. Biodegradation
   Critical insights into where biodegradable plastics make environmental and regulatory sense.

Innovation Award Nominees – Renewable Material of the Year 2025:

1. Bloom Biorenewables (CH) – White Lignin for sustainable cosmetics
2. Borregaard (NO) – Bright, a lignin-based biopolymer platform
3. Cyclize (DE) – Syngas from mixed waste and CO₂
4. Sci-Lume Labs (US) – Bylon, a biosynthetic polyamide from protein waste
5. Sustanix (NL) – PFAS-free, plastic-free paper packaging coatings
6. Trinseo (IT) – Recycled acrylic solutions using thermolysis

These innovations demonstrate the shift toward circular, fossil-free material solutions across sectors including cosmetics, packaging, home care, and industrial manufacturing.