CHIHIRO

CIRCULAR VALORISATION OF GUAYULE BAGASSE AND RESIN FOR CHEMICALLY INNOVATED HIGH-PERFORMANCE RUBBER MATERIALS FOR BIOBASED PRODUCTS (CHIHIRO)

Project details

Type of project
Research & Innovation Action
Project focus
Bio-based polymers & plastics
Feedstock origin
Other and new
Feedstock type
Dedicated crops
Project period
1 May 2026 - 31 January 2030
Status
In progress
CBE JU Contribution
€ 3 484 258,67
Call identifier
HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025

Summary

Natural rubber is essential to global and European industries, including medicine, transportation, and defense. However, approximately 90% of the world’s supply comes from Hevea brasiliensis rubber tree plantations concentrated in Asia, creating supply vulnerabilities for the EU. These risks are expected to intensify as demand continues to grow and is projected to increase by about 2.4% by 2031, while production faces mounting pressures from climate change, disease outbreaks, and economic constraints on the rubber tree plantations, such as competition for land with oil palm cultivation.  

CHIHIRO will address this gap by unlocking the production of new materials derived from guayule bagasse, a sustainable and local wood residue, and resin, enabling the development of natural rubber and elastomers. The project aims to establish a cascade biorefinery concept that transforms all guayule fractions (latex, resin, bagasse), and potentially other European feedstocks, into high-value applications. This includes transforming nearly 100% of guayule biomass, including co-products that are currently underutilised, for the production of bio-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).  

By advancing integrated processing and full biomass utilisation, CHIHIRO will contribute to the development of a sustainable and economically viable guayule-based rubber value chain in Europe.  

  • Produce three sustainable high-value product streams, namely a resin fraction to produce a bio-based TPE, a polysaccharide-rich fraction for fermentation into PI and/or production of Cellulose nanofibres (CNF), and a lignin-rich fraction to produce lignin nanoparticles (LNP), from the co-products of guayule-latex extraction. 
  • Develop five new (biomanufacturing) routes for the transformation of all guayule fractions. 
  • Develop new rubber formulations adapted to end-users' needs, including prototypes of 3D-printed gaskets, sealants, and toys that meet or exceed current industrial standards for performance and safety. 
  • Develop new bio-based additives that can fully replace fossil-based fillers in rubber formulations, offering improved or additional functionalities.  
  • Validate the suitability of the project's formulations and materials for targeted applications. 
  • Define a sustainable biorefinery concept that transforms all guayule latex fractions, and potentially other European feedstocks, into high-value applications. 

  • Process 30,000 hectares of guayule annually within five years, proving its economic viability for farmers and the feasibility of guayule NR products.  
  • Yield approximately 30,000 tonnes of latex, the same amount of resin, and 240,000 tonnes of bagasse for transformation annually. 
  • Capture 20% of the European latex market 10 years after the project’s end, supporting EU strategic sectors. 
  • Use underutilised lignocellulosic biomass, such as opportunistic weeds and post-fire residues, as feedstocks for key building blocks for NR and bio-based synthetic rubber production. 
  • Increase the transformation of the guayule plant into high-value applications from 10% to 100%, increasing the competitiveness of guayule latex. 
  • Create two new bio-based value chains (guayule-to-products and guayule-to-additives) and at least four new innovative products. 
  • Operate an industrial facility from 2035 onwards capable of processing 30,000 ha/year of guayule biomass, producing ~30 kilotonnes of latex, ~30 kilotonnes of resin, and ~240 kilotonnes of bagasse.  

 

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • MOSES PRODUCTOS SL Zaragoza, Spain

Consortium

  • UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI TARRAGONA, Spain
  • DEUTSCHES INSTITUT FUR KAUTSCHUKTECHNOLOGIE EV HANNOVER, Germany
  • POLYMERIS BELLIGNAT, France
  • HOLOSS - HOLISTIC AND ONTOLOGICALSOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY, LDA. MONCAO, Portugal
  • GUATECS MONTPELLIER, France
  • EVOENZYME SL MADRID, Spain
  • Miniland S.A. ONIL ALICANTE, Spain
  • CELABOR SCRL HERVE CHAINEUX, Belgium