Many manufacturers have been turning to synthetic rubber. As a result, since early October 2010 synthetic rubber prices have increased by 500%, from $600 to $3,000 per metric ton according to the ICIS. Compounding the increased demand for rubber, synthetic rubber is also petroleum-based and has grown more expensive as oil prices climb. In addition, as a petroleum product, it is a non-renewable material.

The rising costs of Hevea-based and synthetic rubbers are putting pressure on manufacturers to raise prices or face lower margins. The Financial Times reported, tire companies including Bridgestone, Michelin, and Goodyear, have raised prices by 5-15% in 2010 with more increases to come. Due to increasing financial pressures, manufacturers are looking for alternative sources of rubber. Guayule rubber has been emerging as an attractive and sustainable alternative to both natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

Yulex Corporation has been ramping up guayule production in the Southwestern United States, where guayule is indigenous and the guayule rubber industry has taken root. Guayule is domestic, renewable and environmentally sustainable.  The plant grows in a desert climate and requires less water than many other industrial crops, including cotton. Unlike the Hevea rubber tree that takes 5-10 years to mature before it can be tapped, the perennial guayule plant matures for harvest within 12-20 months and can be harvested year after year, which is particularly helpful in responding to short-term natural rubber shortages.

With its planned agricultural expansion with partner Arizona Grain, Yulex is proactively advancing guayule rubber’s ability to meet the world’s increasing appetite for natural rubber and more sustainable materials in general. Currently Yulex Natural Rubber from guayule is being utilized in manufactured goods as diverse as medical devices, cleaning products and specialized apparel.

According to author and guayule scholar Mark R. Finlay, as early as 1910, the US was already importing over 79,000 pounds of rubber annually. During WWII when rubber supplies were minimal, heavy public pressure on politicians made finding a new source of rubber a top priority for officials looking to maintain support for the war.

1942: Newly-seeded guayule nursery beds in Salinas, California. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

Unfortunately, rubber trees, or Hevea brasiliensis, don’t just grow anywhere. Hevea trees require a very specific tropical climate to flourish, for which the U.S. is unsuitable. Scientists looked to guayule, which is native to the U.S. southwest, for a solution. The U.S. government developed an emergency rubber project with a budget of $40 million ($528 million adjusted to 2009 dollar value) and planned to grow 32,000 acres of guayule to meet domestic consumer needs.

Before commercial-scale guayule production farms were established, the war ended and with it so did the embargo on rubber from Southeast Asia. At the end of the war in 1945, projects to commercialize guayule were abandoned. With old rubber supplies restored, environmental responsibility a low national priority and Hevea rubber imports fairly cheap to import at the time, the United States resumed its dependence on a foreign supply of latex. Simultaneously, synthetic rubber, a petroleum byproduct, was introduced during this period and began to grow in popularity.

But as society became more environmentally conscious and the comparative advantage of importing rubber began to decline, there was resurgence in the desire to find a domestic supply of natural rubber. Building off the research began during the WWII era, and thanks to innovative guayule breeding programs and technological developments, today guayule is recognized as a natural, domestic source for rubber latex production on a commercial scale. Guayule is indigenous to the southwest United States and doesn’t compete with other crops for land as it flourishes in a climate where few other industrial crops can grow. Highly sustainable, guayule requires less water than most industrial crops, such as cotton, and produces tarpene resins, which acts like a natural pesticide.

Research and development of guayule as a commercial crop was jumpstarted during WWII out of necessity. Today, it’s the need to source materials that are safe for the environment and for latex allergy sufferers that is driving the expansion of guayule rubber latex research and product development. Yulex Corporation has taken the work WWII era agriculturalists and industrialists started and advanced it far beyond what was conceivable 60 years ago to develop a sustainable, all-natural domestic rubber source.

More than 150 miles east of Yuma sits Maricopa, the guayule capital of Arizona where far more guayule is grown and home to Yulex Corporation’s guayule processing plant. Last year, the Arizona Technology Council presented Yulex Corporation with the state’s Green Innovator of the Year award for its work bringing safe and sustainable guayule products to market.

The Yuma Sun reports that guayule was chosen as its “Crop of the Week” for its sustainability, versatility and significance as a new industrial crop. Out of more than 2,000 species of plants known to produce rubber, guayule is the only domestic rubber-producing plant used for latex production on a commercial scale. Not only is guayule a renewable industrial crop and produced without toxic solvents, but guayule-based products typically outperform petro-based products, yet, unlike plastics or synthetics, are still biodegradable. Guayule is also free of the proteins that cause reactions in those with a latex allergy and has been used in an assortment of consumer, healthcare and industrial products to prevent Type I and Type IV allergic reactions.

Scientists are also researching uses for the majority of the guayule shrub that remains after rubber extraction.  The byproduct of latex extraction, bagasse, could generate energy equivalent to that produced from coal and other guayule fibers could be used as a natural, antifungal pesticide.

To learn more about guayule and its potential uses go to www.yulex.com and to read more about guayule becoming the “Crop of the Week,” click here.

There are two different types of reactions: Type I, which is less common and results in an immediate, potentially life threatening reaction, and Type IV, which is a delayed physical reaction that usually translates to a skin rash.  It’s estimated that more than 66 million people around the world (2.7 million in the US) are affected by a latex allergy. Not only are there millions of people with this allergy, there are millions of products that can serve as triggers for a reaction.

Latex is one of the most commonly used materials in consumer, medical and industrial products such as medical gloves, balloons and condoms. However, it can also be found in mattresses, chewing gum, clothing, children’s toys, dental dams, paint, glue and a host of other products. Even some flu vaccines contain materials that are capable of causing allergic reactions to those susceptible. With so many people at risk, and just as many potential triggers, there has been a reemergence of interest in finding safe, sustainable alternatives to natural latex.

Latex allergies and those affected by them weren’t a matter of public concern until the 1990’s when the increased use of latex-based medical devices and other social factors lead to a dramatic increase in the number of people identified as latex allergic. As a result, researchers began examining other materials to find a safe alternative to tropical latex. Synthetic latex sources were exploited but these tended to be derived from petroleum by-products and, therefore, non-renewable.

Yulex Corporation has commercialized natural rubber latex from a plant source called guayule. Guayule is a domestic and sustainable industrial crop that is native to the U.S. Southwest and now also being cultivated in Australia.

Guayule-based natural rubber latex is a safe alternative to Hevea-based materials. Marketed as Yulex® Natural Rubber, it provides the same strength and dependability as its less sustainable synthetic counterpart, while also being safe for Type I latex allergy suffers.

Read about the many uses for Yulex Natural Rubber here.

Latex Allergy Awareness Week is sponsored by the American Latex Allergy Association.  Find out more information on the latex allergy fact sheet.

Manufacturers face a similar situation when evaluating traditional and synthetic rubber materials against guayule natural rubber for their products. Tropical natural rubber is high performance but has risks associated with tight supplies overseas and poses health dangers to those with a Type 1 latex allergy. Synthetic rubber can be less expensive, but then performance is sacrificed and it has the environmental costs of being a petrochemical product. However, because rubber made from the guayule plant is both environmentally sustainable and even higher performing than tropical natural rubber, it’s no wonder why guayule rubber has been replacing synthetic, petroleum-based materials as well as imported natural rubber in a wide variety of products.

In a time when society’s emphasis on environmental accountability is ever increasing, manufacturers are beginning to break away from traditional materials and are embracing more sustainable materials, such as guayule latex, in an array of industries. Guayule is a domestic plant grown in the Southwestern United States, which means American manufacturers choosing to use guayule-based materials in their products are helping save the approximately 1,885,700 gallons of fuel a cargo ship transporting rubber from Southeast Asia would consume.

Not only is the carbon footprint of industrial guayule latex smaller than traditional Hevea –based materials, but energy could actually be recovered during the process of producing guayule latex.  Bagasse, the byproduct of latex extraction, can be used in the organosolv process to generate energy equivalent to that produced from coal, only much cleaner! In addition, guayule thrives in an ecosystem where other crops can’t grow, so it doesn’t create competition with other industrialized crops for ground surface.

While it’s clear that guayule latex is more environmentally friendly than traditional latex, other reasons are persuading more manufacturers to use this breakthrough material. Latex has become an essential part of preventing the spread of infectious diseases, especially in medical gloves and condoms, but along with the increased use of latex has been an increase in latex allergies. About three million Americans suffer from a latex allergy, but guayule-based latex is hypoallergenic, which means these latex-sensitive people can still receive the same degree of protection against the spread of infectious disease. One study proves that guayule latex is a safe alternative to traditional Hevea-based latex for those with Type I Hev-b latex allergies. The study points to guayule’s unique protein structure to explain. The study shows that guayule latex is low in protein and that its proteins are not recognized by human antibodies specific for Hev-b latex proteins. For those suffering with a latex allergy, Yulex® Natural Rubber is the luxurious hybrid of the rubber industry, complete with hand-stitched Italian leather interior.

Reducing environmental impact and not being problematic for those with sensitivities are both great qualities, but the bottom line is the quality of products produced with the material. A story published in “Discoveries & Breakthroughs Inside Science” relays that in a test, Yulex Natural Rubber made from guayule was more flexible and could withstand nearly twice the amount of force as traditional latex. The strength of guayule-based materials has also been put to the test in the form of tires, building materials and other industrial products.

The decreased carbon emission from shipping, its sustainable nature and the potential for energy production make Yulex Natural Rubber the most environmentally friendly material in the rubber industry. Combined with its safety for those with a latex allergy and its increased strength and flexibility, Yulex Natural Rubber is the Tesla hybrid of the rubber industry.

Dominic Michelin

A native of France, Dominic Michelin is earning his master’s degree in translation from the University of Paris. He chose to focus on guayule for his research paper. He shares his guayule story below in our first of several planned guest posts. Connect with Dominic through his Linkedin profile.

I could almost say my “affair” with guayule started unexpectedly on a sunny day in August in my centuries-old cool stony little house located in Northern Burgundy, France.

Television was on and I was, rather than watching, listening to it from afar. I suddenly caught a couple of distant words from the current report that happened to be shot in the southern French region of Montpellier. I understood something about a new experimental crop originating from somewhere in southwestern America. My attention grew and I could catch a glimpse of a small green field and a few last words about a promising new plant, the name of which I could never get as the report was drawing to an end.

As a matter of chance, my mind had been on the watch for a while, being at the turn of a new professional life, aiming at becoming a specialized translator from English and Spanish to French, and looking for an original and specific research subject for my paper in the field of environment. I grabbed my laptop right away, and started to follow backwards the narrow path starting from the television channel site, and discovered what the report was all about.

I didn’t know yet that guayule had already cast its spell on me. From that moment, everything went quickly. I got in touch with people around the world who all seemed to be ready to share their passion and hopes about this weird little shrub so full of secrets and assets.

As I moved on along the track, I had the strange and secure feeling that I had found my new research paper subject. I couldn’t believe how this plant was unknown and famous at the same time, as I discovered its history. The more I found, the more I liked it. Be it its etymology, its origins, its checkered history, exciting present and so hopeful future, I felt I had found a new invention or discovery, likely to be part of the current century environmental and economical peaks.

Here I am today, having collected lots of documentation on guayule, met guayule fans via internet and in France, checking libraries old shelves to know more about the magical shrub I have been advertising and promoting. Since then, I have learned a lot about botany, agronomy, latex properties and rubber industry and a whole world to discover is still ahead.

Last but not least, I feel happy and honored to have been able and allowed to translate – as the most interesting part of my research paper – a substantial extract of the most recent, extensive and qualitative work done on the subject. I do hope I’ll be part of the great – hopefully best ever – revival of guayule for the 21^st century.

- Dominic Michelin

In the same way that petroleum and natural gas provided the basis for an enormous petrochemicals industry beginning over 50 years ago, living plant-based materials are being used to create a clean, bio-based chemicals industry today.

Yulex CEO Jeff Martin addresses executives at the Next Generation Bio-Based Chemicals Conference.

Martin spoke on a panel that also included companies like OPX Biotechnologies, a Boulder, Colo. startup commercializing a bio-based acrylic, and Huntsman, a Texas-based global manufacturer of chemicals, which is developing bio-based surfactants.

Martin explained to the crowd how Yulex had profitably advanced and commercialized natural rubber latex materials from guayule from its base of operations in the U.S. Southwest. He also touched on the company’s plans for expanding its production facility and expanding into Western Texas as well as Australia where it already has a foothold.

“Without natural rubber, literally the country doesn’t roll,” said Martin about the critical strategic importance of rubber in the U.S. economy.

The company’s rubber yields from guayule have grown significantly in recent years through selective breeding alone, Martin said. Now the yield per acre is on par with that of a rubber tree plantation, and Martin said a geneticist has joined the company’s team to help enhance rubber latex production through a ramped up natural breeding program.

With 40,000 products made from natural rubber, Yulex is carefully targeting higher value products including high end sporting equipment and apparel as well as the existing medical markets it supplies. The company has achieved profitability based on its current business model, but Martin said there is value in the plant’s resins which are similar to pine resins used in many consumer and industrial products especially for adhesive applications.

Guayule biomass is also being explored as a source for biofuels. Currently, the bagasse or leftover plant material at the company’s Maricopa, Arizona facility is sold to Scott’s Miracle Gro which is able to use the product as part of its famous line of fertilizer products. However, Martin said that the bagasse could be used to generate energy for the Yulex production plant and for sale.

Yulex currently works closely with several Arizona Indian tribes ensuring land and water is available for guayule cultivation, and Martin explained that many former cotton growers have found the switch to guayule an easy one as the planting and harvesting practices are comparable, although guayule requires less water once established. Martin described cotton as a “failing industry” in the U.S. noting that 50 years ago, there were 30 million acres of cotton growing here, and that today there is less than 9 million. Finding crops that help growers in the U.S. Southwest diversify is an additional benefit that Yulex Corp. brings to the region.

For more, see http://yulex.com.

The report emphasizes the usefulness of guayule’s rubber content as well as its potential to produce energy from leftover biomass after rubber extraction. Because it’s a desert crop, requiring comparatively little water to produce and the rubber extraction process uses water and no harsh solvents, the report also acknowledges that it is a relatively clean product whether used for energy, rubber or both. Have a listen on their website.

Jim Mitchell (center) of Yulex accepts Green Innovator of the Year Award

Guayule materials got a green stamp of approval on November 19 when the Arizona Technology Council  presented Yulex Corporation with the Green Innovator of the Year award at the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation gala in Phoenix. The award is given to an Arizona-based company in the technology industry each year, and recognizes Yulex’s scientific advancements and its commitment to providing environmentally supportive and sustainable products.  

Yulex Corporation (headquartered in the Greater Phoenix area since 2007) has put the region at the epicenter of a new sustainable, made-in-the-U.S.A. industry supplying  biobased material to many different industries that make medical, consumer and industrial products. The guayule-based product can be used in everything from shoes to mattresses, cleaning products and automotive products among others.

“Receiving this award is an honor and a testament to the clean tech business the Yulex team has built in Arizona,” says Jeff Martin, President and CEO of Yulex Corporation. “We’re experiencing growing demand for Yulex® natural rubber materials from manufacturers seeking to use renewable high-performance materials for their customers while minimizing the use of petroleum-based synthetics in their product designs.”

Also see: Local company wins “green” award

Guayule cells produce latex.

Plastids are major organelles found in the cells of plants and algae. Plastids manufacture and store important chemical compounds used by the cell.

The DNA barcoding study completed by Yulex and USDA ARS scientists allows genetic identification of commercially significant lines of guayule (Latin name: Parthenium argentatum) for the production of latex and related sustainable materials.