PLA stands for Polylactic Acid. Made from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar cane, it's a natural polymer designed to substitute widely used petroleum-based plastics like PET (polyethene terephthalate). In the packaging industry, PLA plastics are often used for plastic films and food containers.

It is created with injection moulding, casting or by being spun, is also used as a decomposable packaging material, film or for cups and bags. It is used for compost bags, food packaging, disposable tableware, and loose fill packaging.