PVOH water-soluble film: how AquaFlex biodegrades in water and seawater

Short answer. AquaFlex is a PVOH (polyvinyl alcohol) film made in Vietnam by PVA PRO. It passed ISO 14852 biodegradable in water in 32 days, and passed ASTM D6691 biodegradable in natural seawater in 43 days. In an industrial composting test to ISO 14855-1 it passed in 125 days, and the full report found it compliant with EN 13432. Retained samples have stayed stable in storage for more than five years.

Most buyers who contact us about PVOH film have already tried a compostable bag that went brittle in a warehouse. They want something that behaves like plastic while it is in use and disappears properly once it is thrown away. This page explains what the tests show, where the film works well and where it does not.

What PVOH film is and how it dissolves

PVOH, also written PVA, is a synthetic polymer that dissolves in water. It has been used for decades in laundry and dishwasher pods, pre-dosed drop-and-release chemicals and additives packs, embroidery backing and hospital laundry bags. The film is clear, prints well and blocks oxygen far better than PE.

Dissolving and biodegrading are two separate steps. When PVOH film meets water, it softens and breaks into a solution. That solution is then eaten by microorganisms that turn the polymer into carbon dioxide, water and biomass. The second step is the one that matters for the environment, and it is the one our test reports measure.

How fast a PVOH film dissolves, and at what water temperature, depends on the grade and thickness. A garment bag and a wash-in laundry bag need different behaviour, so we match the grade to the job and share the data sheet for that grade.

Test results: fresh water, seawater and industrial compost

Bar chart: AquaFlex passed ISO 14852 in fresh water in 32 days, ASTM D6691 in seawater in 43 days and ISO 14855-1 industrial composting in 125 days

Every result below uses our rule for degradation claims: a pass means the material fully biodegraded under the test, and we state the standard and the days.

Environment	Standard	Result	Report
Fresh water (aerobic)	ISO 14852	Passed in 32 days	OK biodegradable WATER technical report
Natural seawater	ASTM D6691	Passed in 43 days	OK biodegradable MARINE technical report
Industrial compost	ISO 14855-1 (EN 13432 programme)	Passed in 125 days	ARCHA S.r.l. report 22311632, Feb 29, 2024

The compost report covers the full EN 13432 checklist for industrial composting: chemical characterisation, heavy metals and fluorine, biodegradation, disintegration to ISO 16929 on 30 µm and 61 µm film, final compost quality, and a plant toxicity test on barley and cress. Every item was judged compliant. The film fully disintegrated in the compost test, and plants grown in the resulting compost showed no toxic effect.

So AquaFlex can fairly be described as fully degradable in seawater and compostable in industrial composting facilities. We do not claim home compostability, because no home compost test has been run.

Why storage stability matters for packaging buyers

Chart comparing storage life: AquaFlex retained samples over 5 years versus about 12 months for typical PBAT compostable resin

Standard compostable plastics are known for their short shelf life, typically about 12 months from manufacture, and some suppliers advise using finished film within six months. For a brand that buys packaging in container loads, that is a real stock risk, and for export markets that operating window becomes challenging due to long transit times. For those reasons, compostable plastics can't be used for numerous applications.

AquaFlex behaves differently. Our retained samples, kept in normal storage conditions, have stayed stable for more than five years. That is a TURN GREEN observation from our own sample library rather than a formal aging study, and we are happy to show the samples to buyers who visit the factory. In practice it means you can order to a sensible stock level instead of buying small batches, and use it in packaging applications without fear the bags will expire before the products.

The trade-off is its main advantage: it is water-soluble, which means your goods can't be exposed to water. Humidity and high heat, however, are not an issue, but direct water contact is a no-go. We advise customers on proper carton liners if water contact is a risk.

Where AquaFlex is used

Garment and apparel bags. Clear polybags for folded garments, so labels can be scanned and goods checked by hand, without leaving a persistent plastic bag at the end of the chain.
Electronics, home appliances and toys. For dry goods that need long storage times, AquaFlex is the only compostable plastic solution suitable worldwide.
Water-soluble laundry bags. Soiled linen goes into the washer still inside the bag, so staff handle it less.
Mould release film for composite and resin work, where the film is washed off after curing.
Paper coating. PVOH gives paper a grease and oxygen barrier that stays repulpable while being heat sealable.

Each use case gets its own grade and thickness. We usually start with a sample run on the customer's own line before quoting volume.

End of life: what happens after use

AquaFlex can end up in several places, and the tests cover the main ones. If a bag reaches a river or the sea, the marine and water results apply. If it goes to an industrial composting plant, the EN 13432 report applies. If it is dissolved in a washing machine, the solution goes to wastewater treatment, where PVOH is broken down by the same kind of microorganisms used in the ISO 14852 test, provided the plant runs aerobic biological treatment.

Landfill is the hardest place for any bioplastic. There is almost no oxygen, so most of them stay intact for a very long time. AquaFlex is different. Published research on PVOH shows it can also biodegrade without oxygen, in anaerobic conditions (Matsumura et al., 1993, Biotechnology Letters; Water Science & Technology, 2019), which makes it one of very few plastics that keep breaking down in landfill. That said, landfill should never be the plan. The best route is still collection and proper treatment.

Made in Vietnam: PVA PRO's film technology

PVA PRO is the first company in Vietnam to process PVOH into films, and it created Vietnam's first PVOH material technology, AquaFlex. This vertical integration, from raw material formulation to finished custom films, shortens lead times for brands sourcing in Vietnam, with guaranteed quality and competitive pricing.

PVA PRO is a member of TURN GREEN alongside GPS PLAS, which makes our CompoFlex and BioFlex materials. If PVOH is the wrong fit for your product, we can compare it with compostable CompoFlex or BioFlex PE-TPS resin on the same brief.

FAQ

Is PVA film biodegradable in seawater? Yes. AquaFlex passed ASTM D6691 in 43 days in natural seawater. That is why we describe it as fully degradable in seawater.

How long does AquaFlex take to biodegrade? It passed ISO 14852 in 32 days in water. In seawater it passed ASTM D6691 in 43 days, and in industrial composting it passed ISO 14855-1 in 125 days.

Is AquaFlex compostable? Yes, in industrial composting. The ARCHA S.r.l. technical report 22311632 found AquaFlex compliant with every EN 13432 requirement, including disintegration and plant toxicity. It has not been tested for home composting.

Does PVOH film dissolve in cold water or only hot water? It depends on the grade and thickness. Tell us the water temperature in your process and we will send the data sheet for the grade that fits.

Can water-soluble bags be used to ship garments through humid climates? Yes. Humidity and high heat are not an issue for AquaFlex. The only thing to avoid is direct water contact, so we recommend proper carton liners if goods could get wet in transit.

How long can AquaFlex be stored? Our retained samples have stayed stable for more than five years in normal storage conditions. Standard compostable plastics typically have a shelf life of about 12 months from manufacture.

What happens to PVA film in a wastewater treatment plant? Dissolved PVOH is broken down by microorganisms in aerobic biological treatment. Our ISO 14852 pass in 32 days measures this aerobic breakdown in water.

Is PVOH film safe for food contact? SGS food contact and REACH reports exist for specific AquaFlex grades. Ask us for the report that matches the grade and use you have in mind before relying on it.

Who makes PVOH film in Vietnam? PVA PRO, a TURN GREEN member, is the first company in Vietnam to process PVOH into films. Its AquaFlex film is made in Ho Chi Minh City.

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Talk to us about samples: info@turngreen.world