I can't find a material in IDEMAT to map my materials to
IDEMAT covers most common packaging materials and for large categories such as paper & cardboard and plastics, a direct match is usually available. But not every brand name or new material on the market is available will be present in IDEMAT.
Here's what you can do:
1. Search using alternative names or synonyms
Many materials appear under generic names rather than brand or trade names. Try searching for a broader or alternative term.
2. Look for a suitable proxy material
If your exact material is not available, choose a material with a similar origin or production process.
For example, many biobased materials made from agricultural waste — such as palm leaves or corn waste — can often be represented using a natural-waste proxy because their processes are comparable.
3. Ask your supplier for a specific EPD
If your material is not available in IDEMAT, ask your supplier for a full Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) or the underlying EPD data. This is the minimum needed to create a new, accurate material dataset.
With this information, we can submit the material to Sustainability Impact Metrics, who run IDEMAT. They will review whether the material is broadly relevant enough to include in their database. IDEMAT only adds materials that many users are likely to need.
If IDEMAT accepts the request, they will convert the EPD into their eco-costs format (cost: €1.000,-) and the material will then become available for you to use in Pickler.
If they do not accept it, we’ll help you choose the closest proxy instead.
Can I submit new materials to IDEMAT?
You can. More information under "3. Ask your supplier for a specific EPD"