Biodegradable USBs - Hoshino FD-300 Is Made of Fermented Corn (GALLERY)

With the ubiquity of USB drives—which have become almost disposable these days—it is great to see eco- and environmentally-friendly USB designs begin to surface. The FD-300 by Hoshino is made of polylactide, which uses corn, an annually renewable plant resource s raw material.

The corn is first fermented and distillated to produce lactic acid. It is then transformed into PLA through the multiple processes of dehydration polymerization, high-temp depolymerization, refining and polymerization.

PLA is very environmentally friendly because it can be easily degraded to carbon dioxide and water by microorganisms in the soil after use. It does not contain toxics that harm to the environment.

The USB drive itself is shaped as an ear of corn.