FRANKFURT, Germany/LENZING, Austria — June 27, 2019 — Lenzing Group (Lenzing) today unveiled the new co-branding certification criteria for its specialty nonwoven ingredient brand – VEOCEL™. From July 1, 2019, the VEOCEL logo will only be featured on personal care and beauty products made from 100-percent cellulosic and biodegradable fiber materials. This is an industry-first approach to establish a fiber ingredient brand as a label of trust, which aims to facilitate consumers in identifying sustainable nonwovens personal care and beauty products such as wipes, moist toilet tissues and facial sheet masks.
Worldwide efforts advancing towards eco-friendly plastic alternatives have skyrocketed in recent years, as different stakeholders are eager to make a difference in their field of expertise. For example, the 2019 United Nations Environmental Assembly commenced in a Ministerial Declaration to significantly reduce single-use plastic products by 2030 and move closer to environmentally friendly alternatives. When it comes to personal care products, fiber transparency becomes an important benchmark in determining the sustainability of products such as wipes and facial sheet masks. The soon-to-be published European Union Single-Use Plastics Directive had identified wipes as one of the ten most polluting items found on European beaches and calls for clearer marking requirements, which shall disclose the presence of plastic materials in wipes and disposal options on the product packaging.
Lenzing, as a nonwovens fiber producer and advocate for sustainability, has taken an industry first step to enable consumers to make eco-conscious choices. Brands and retailers who intend to feature the VEOCEL logo on their personal care and beauty products may now only use blends of raw materials that are entirely cellulosic and biodegradable. Such valiant move further represents Lenzing’s commitment to offer sustainable solutions for consumers who would like to enjoy the convenience of single-use products with a clear conscience.
Reinforce the VEOCEL™ brand promise and the new certification criteria
“Natural circularity” – the brand promise of VEOCEL, is based on three main pillars: botanic origin, environmentally sound production and biodegradability. VEOCEL branded fibers are made from the renewable raw material wood and produced through environmentally responsible processes. The fibers are fully biodegradable, endowed with the ability to break down safely and quickly and fully revert back to nature after disposal.
VEOCEL branded products range from fibers in personal care and beauty wipes, moist toilet tissues to facial sheet masks. The introduction of new certification criteria further upholds the VEOCEL brand’s label of trust promise, allowing only 100% cellulosic and biodegradable materials such as LENZING branded viscose, cotton and wood pulp to blend with VEOCEL branded fibers. Such stringent measures safeguard the label of trust commitment and benchmark of the VEOCEL brand, and consumers can be ensured that VEOCEL co- branded products are free from fossil-based materials and bio-plastics.
“VEOCEL promises to bring the essence of nature into nonwoven products through the beneficial properties of cellulosic fibers, and continues to combat against the use of synthetic materials which have a negative impact on our environment. The new certification criteria provide consumers with a label of trust that allows informed and sustainable product choices,” said Jürgen Eizinger, Vice President of Global Business Management Nonwovens, Lenzing AG. “As we gear towards the second half of 2019, Lenzing will continue to innovate and drive consumer awareness on fiber transparency of nonwovens products and we are excited for what’s yet to come. Amidst the challenging industry environment, we are confident that our brand partners will support the new co-branding criteria and continue to work closely together to create a greener future.”
Posted July 12, 2019
Source: The Lenzing Group
