PVC has long been a well-established material for medical devices and healthcare packaging. But as regulatory pressures, chemical exposure concerns, healthcare procurement requirements, and growing focus on sustainability and circularity, new materials are gaining attention.

Balancing product performance, regulatory expectations, sustainability

Replacing PVC is not a simple material swap. Successful transition starts with understanding the application requirements and validating performance under relevant conditions.

When evaluating alternatives to PVC, developers must ensure that new materials deliver the performance characteristics required by the intended application, such as functionality, patient safety, durability, manufacturability, sterilization, and regulatory compliance. Mechanical behaviour, flexibility, recovery characteristics, sealing performance, chemical resistance, sterilization compatibility, and long-term stability can all influence the success of a material transition.

As a result, material selection decisions should be based on application requirements rather than polymer family alone.

Alternatives to PVC

Today's development landscape offers a growing range of options, including:

• Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs)
• Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs)
• Polyolefin-based materials (PE, PP, COC)
• Non-DEHP PVC formulations using alternative plasticizers
• Silicone-based solutions
• Multi-material and hybrid constructions
• Polyester, PET

No solution fits all

Each material family offers distinct advantages and trade-offs. The optimal solution depends on the specific performance requirements, manufacturing processes, regulatory considerations, and sustainability objectives of the product.

Testing Matters

Successful material transitions require more than datasheet comparisons. A comprehensive evaluation typically includes:

• Mechanical performance testing
• Material characterization
• Sterilization compatibility assessment
• Aging and durability studies
• Extractables and leachables evaluations
• Processing and manufacturing validation
• Sustainability and circularity assessments
• Application-specific validation

By combining material science with application-specific testing, developers can better understand how candidate materials perform under real-world conditions and reduce development risk early in the process.

What This Means for Product Developers

As sustainability goals and market expectations continue to evolve, product developers are increasingly expected to balance multiple objectives:

Achieving these objectives requires a structured approach to material evaluation and validation.

How Norner Can Support

Norner supports MedTech companies throughout the material development journey, from early-stage material screening and selection to testing, method development, processing, prototyping, and validation.

With expertise in polymer materials, healthcare applications, packaging technologies, and advanced characterization methods, Norner helps customers identify and qualify solutions that meet both performance requirements and future sustainability ambitions.

Ready to evaluate alternatives to traditional PVC solutions?

Contact Norner to discuss how a science-based material screening and testing strategy can support your next medical device or healthcare packaging project.

Contact siri.stabel.olsen@norner.no for more information