The most unique design feature of this furniture is found inside of it: a new kind of foam created in part from renewable resources. Traditionally, upholstery foam has relied on petroleum-based materials as ingredients. Manufacturers of flexible foam for the furniture and bedding industries were looking for a bio-based alternative to the polyurethane materials they historically used. They turned to Cargill who collaborated with them to develop BiOH™ brand polyols, a new alternative ingredient that replaces a portion of the petrochemicals traditionally used in polyurethane foams. BiOH products are made from a renewable resource – soybean oil. 

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The resulting product is flexible foam that compares in comfort and performance with existing products, yet leaves a smaller environmental footprint. It is estimated that for every million pounds of petroleum-based polyols replaced with BiOH polyols, nearly 2,200 barrels of crude oil can be saved. In an industry that uses over a billion pounds of polyols each year, these savings can be significant over time. 

As a result of this initiative, the foam industry has been energized by the product innovation. And several national brands are now using the new bio-based foam in their furniture products…giving customers a new eco-friendly choice…and making homes more inviting for both people and nature.

 This is how Cargill works with customers.