As regulations crack down on microplastics and the pressure intensifies for regenerative agriculture, seed coatings are getting a closer look — not just for what they protect, but for what they leave behind. While many companies now offer so-called microplastic-free formulations, behind the label, performance and sustainability can vary widely.
That’s where one company is charting a different path.
Born from a partnership between polymer science giant Covestro and starch specialist Dynaplak, Covestro-Amulix has quietly built a reputation for doing more than ticking regulatory boxes. Its flagship coating platform, Amulix, is science-based innovation at its best.
“Compliance doesn’t always equal sustainability,” says Tim Gratzke, General Manager of Covestro-Amulix. “We wanted to go further. We wanted to create coatings that actually degrade in the soil — not just on paper — while exceeding the performance standards farmers depend on.”
Under the EU’s Microplastics Regulation, seed coatings must eliminate persistent synthetic polymers by 2028, for coatings without plant protection products, and 2031 for those with them. While some companies meet that criterion using water-soluble materials, their residues can linger in the soil. Amulix coatings, by contrast, have been independently tested under OECD 301F conditions to biodegrade at rates of 60% or more within 28 days.
Thanks to Amulix’s impressively deep technological toolbox, it is setting the bar for microplastic-free solutions whatever a company’s needs, from high-performance synthetics to all-natural solutions. External lab analyses confirm Amulix delivers across all key seed coating priorities, from dust control and flowability to abrasion resistance, while also maintaining strong germination. Amulix proves biodegradable doesn’t have to mean a step down.
Validation isn’t only occurring at the lab level: customers are also giving it their approval. Amulix seed coatings have now been adopted and implemented by market-leading formulators and seed companies, both in high-performance conventional and organic-certified options.
“We started with what farmers care about most — performance and compliance. Then we made sure the sustainability piece was taken care of too, in a way that’s simple and seamless,” Gratzke notes. “Farmers can expect all the reliability they need — just with less environmental baggage.”
As biologicals gain ground, compatibility is another key factor. Covestro-Amulix has ensured that Amulix coatings support microbial life, successfully testing with strains like Trichoderma and Bacillus. The result is a coating that works with — not against — the shift toward regenerative practices.
Covestro-Amulix is also notable for how it partners. Rather than pushing a standard solution, the team collaborates with seed companies of all sizes to tailor coatings to their crops, equipment, and market needs. Their open-door approach extends to biological developers and equipment manufacturers as well.
“The best results often come from working side-by-side with customers,” Mélanie Dick, Marketing Manager Agricultural Solutions at Covestro-Amulix, adds. “Seed coating is as much about fit as it is about formulation.”
In a sector where regulation is accelerating and sustainability is non-negotiable, seed coatings are entering a new era. Covestro-Amulix isn’t just following industry trends — they’re setting the bar, proving that with the right science and the right partnerships, better outcomes really can take root.
Submitted by Covestro.
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