In recent years, there have been concerted efforts to replace petrochemical products with those from renewable sources due to the unsustainability of petroleum feedstock, and the continued volatility in the price. This work describes the synthesis and thermal properties of two new lignin-derived poly(ether-amide)s as alternative thermoplastics to petroleum-based commodities. Poly-4-(2-aminoethoxy)benzoate (PEAB) and poly-4-(2-aminoethoxy)-3-methoxybenzoate (PEAV) are synthesized by a melt polycondensation and characterized by H-1 NMR spectroscopy and thermal analysis. The number average molecular weight (M-n) of the polymers are estimated from the H-1 NMR spectroscopy analysis, and were shown to be 4100 and 12,000 g/mol for PEAB and PEAV respectively. The PEAB had a higher decomposition temperature (T-d) as well as glass transition temperature (T-g) compared to PEAV; albeit, with a lower molecular weight. The polymers' T-d were in the range of 330 degrees C-380 degrees C and the T-g were between 100 degrees C and 120 degrees C. The thermal properties of the polymers are in the desirable range for thermoplastic materials used in the packaging, storage, and coating industries. Furthermore, the polymers are susceptible to degradation under acidic conditions in a short period; a property that is highly desirable for degradable polymers. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018, 56, 2154-2160