Engineering Bioplastics for Car Cover Applications: A Comparative Study of <scp>PLA</scp> , <scp>PBS</scp> , and <scp>PBAT</scp> Compounds for Spunbond, Extrusion Coating and Injection Molding

ABSTRACT The global shift towards sustainability demands high‐performance, drop‐in alternatives to petroleum‐based plastics in large‐volume industries. This study addresses this challenge in the framework of the multi‐billion‐dollar automotive protective cover market by engineering a novel system comprising three distinct bioplastic compounds. The compounds were tailored for specific conversion processes: a PLA‐rich compound for spunbond nonwovens (SP), a PBS/PBAT‐based compound for extrusion coating (EC), and a PBS‐rich compound for injection molding (IM). Comprehensive characterization confirmed that strategic formulation successfully overcomes the inherent brittleness of PLA and enhances the flexibility of PBS/PBAT, yielding a synergistic portfolio. The SP compound achieved high tensile strength (41.89 MPa) and stiffness for a durable fabric; the EC compound exhibited exceptional toughness and flexibility (&gt; 1000% elongation, with unnotched Izod specimens not breaking) for a crack‐resistant coating; and the IM compound provided a balanced profile of impact strength (59.98 kJ/m 2 ) and thermal resistance (HDT 76.0°C) for rigid fixtures. Rheological properties were precisely aligned with the demands of each processing technology. This work establishes a viable blueprint for replacing conventional multi‐material systems with a fully integrated, high‐performance and sustainable alternative based on engineered bioplastics, with future work focused on enhancing long‐term weatherability.