Fortis X already supplies and exports its bottles to Rwanda (who banned single-use plastic) and is currently in talks with Kenya to do the same, while more South African companies are choosing to utilize the Fortis X revolutionary bottles to decrease their carbon footprint.
 
The plant-based bottles use no additives, such as the oxo-degradable plastics that were banned by the European Union two years ago. Some companies want to use plastic products with oxo-additives, which are artificial additives that claim to biodegrade a product, with no evidence that it fully biodegrades, according to the European Bioplastics Association, who supported the European Union’s ban on oxo-additives posing as a biodegradable solution.
 
Entrepreneur Nicholas De Beer, Fortis X, says, "There were claims by some groups that oxo-additives supposedly mixed into regular plastic will lead to biodegradation. This was not the case, and Fortis X makes absolutely no use of such an additive. We only use sugarcane plants and our bottles have been tested extensively to prove biodegradation. We have chosen a material that truly comes from plant-based resources, that can be scaled up for production and is proven to biodegrade quickly in compost."
 
Started in 2008, Fortis X entered the manufacturing arena by producing medical products and packaging material. In 2018, they started testing biodegradable and plant-based solutions.

This range of revolutionary bioplastic products is made from naturally-occurring plant sugar (dextrose) found in harvested plant starch. According to the company, many products can be made from bio-based polymers and Fortis X specializes in producing bottles and bottle preforms.
 
"The bottles are tested as food-contact safe, with zero leachings into the contents inside. Further testing proved rapid decomposition in certain environments, especially with compost. Such materials degrade into lactic acid, which is a valuable soil supplement," adds Fortis X entrepreneur Kyle Creese.
 
For more information, visit www.fortisx.com.