Lenzing signs strategic partnership with NBond to accelerate the innovation of flushable nonwovens products globally

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• NBond has been a long-term user of Lenzing's VEOCEL™ branded fibers in nonwoven products, and the first to incorporate VEOCEL™ branded lyocell shortcut fibers in flushable feminine care products globally
• The new strategic partnership will enable both parties to explore new possibilities for the application of VEOCEL™ branded lyocell fibers in flushable nonwoven products to address changing consumer needs

LENZING, Austria, June 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lenzing Group, a leading global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, has announced the signing of a strategic partnership between its flagship specialty nonwovens brand, VEOCEL™, and Hangzhou Nbond Nonwovens Co., Ltd. (NBond) to accelerate the innovation and application of wood-based VEOCEL™ branded lyocell fibers in flushable nonwovens products, from moist toilet tissues to feminine hygiene products and other personal hygiene product offerings. NBond, one of the earliest manufacturers to launch flushable feminine care products globally, is also the first to use VEOCEL™ branded lyocell shortcut fibers in flushable feminine care products.

With collaboration key to ongoing product innovation, the strategic partnership will feature long-term technical and innovation support towards the development of new nonwoven fabrics using VEOCEL™ Lyocell fibers at NBond's production facilities.

"Lenzing has been working closely with NBond for more than a decade. The new strategic partnership with NBond represents a milestone for both companies as we continue pioneering sustainable development of the industry, and help addressing the growing demand for high quality sustainable and flushable nonwovens products in Asia and globally," said Steven Tsai, Senior Regional Commercial Director for Nonwovens Asia, Lenzing.  "With VEOCEL™'s expertise and NBond's technical knowledge and consumer brand network, we are well-positioned to advance new innovations and product applications which meet the evolving needs of consumer brands and enable them to stand out from the crowded marketplace of nonwovens products."

"Sustainability is not just a topic of consensus between the suppliers and manufacturers. With the macro direction to actively reduce carbon emissions across industry value chains, sustainability has become the basic standard for any nonwoven product globally. At NBond, sustainability will remain a core focus of what we do," said Jinrui Gong, Chief Executive Officer of NBond. "Together with value chain partners and customers, we will continue to develop sustainable and biodegradable nonwovens products that are made of natural botanic materials, like VEOCEL™ fibers. Ongoing investments will also be made on innovative technologies that could improve our future product offerings."

Industry leaders join hands to empower growth in flushable nonwovens applications

A globally recognized nonwovens value chain partner, NBond's flushable products have been introduced in the US, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and more. In China and Asia-Pacific in particular, NBond has collaborated with mainstream household brands such as Kimberly-Clark, Vinda, and BabyCare on flushable products.

In addition to joint product innovation, the collaboration between VEOCEL™ and NBond will cover the three key pillars of product, service, and sustainability. On product, to differentiate from flushable products made of wood pulp, VEOCEL™️ Lyocell fibers with Disperse technology will help strengthen NBond's nonwoven fabrics in wet conditions, ensuring flushability while improving user experience. Moist toilet tissues, sanitary napkins and other personal hygiene products produced by NBond which adhere to G4 guidelines and the National Standards of China for flushability of nonwoven materials can decompose easily after being immersed in water. To date, high-quality, flushable, and degradable nonwoven products made of VEOCEL™️ fibers have been widely recognized as a solution that covers fiber dispersion and strength.

On service, the technical support and consultancy service provided by VEOCEL™️ empowers NBond to continuously optimize wetness, strength, thickness, safety, and sustainability in nonwovens fabrics, developing a strong portfolio of flushable products that focuses on comfort and care. In terms of sustainability, VEOCEL™️ branded fibers, which have been certified by the EU Ecolabel for meeting high environmental standards throughout the entire life cycle of the fibers, can help NBond address heightened global consumer demand for premium nonwovens products that are made of botanic materials which can be biodegradable and compostable at the end of use.

"With NBond, we hope to expand the portfolio of flushable nonwovens products globally, not only around flushable wet wipes and sanitary products in the hygiene and surface cleaning segments, but also multipurpose dry flushable wipes in Asia," added Steven.

Images related to the announcement can be downloaded from here.

About NBOND

Hangzhou Nbond Nonwovens Co., Ltd, which was founded in 2002, invested by Hangzhou Robam Industrial Group. On 22 February, 2017, it went on public at Shanghai Stock Exchange(SSE). Currently, it owns 12 advanced spunlace nonwovens production lines and the first experiment line for spunlace nonwovens material built by the company itself in China.

Over the past 20 years, Nbond has been firmly rooted in the non-woven industry, and continues to expand the non-woven products dry towel, wet towel business areas. In order to realize the balanced development of industrial layout,  Hangzhou Bonyee Technology Company founded in 2006, and in 2017 it took a controlling stake in Hangzhou Guoguang Tourism company; Bonyee has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Seazons, and Guoguang has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Nachko. Among them, Guoguang has been developing for more than 20 years. It is a high-tech enterprise which is committed to the development and application of various multifunctional, high-performance and environment-friendly wet wipes.

About VEOCEL™

VEOCEL™ is Lenzing Group's flagship specialty nonwovens brand. Derived from renewable raw material wood, VEOCEL™ provides natural care every day, and is committed to driving industry standards around sustainability and comfort in the nonwovens sector. 

The VEOCEL™ product portfolio features VEOCEL™ Lyocell fibers and VEOCEL™ Viscose fibers that are tailored for eco-friendly lifestyles and help to maintain environmental balance by being fully integrated into nature's cycle. All wood-based VEOCEL™ branded fibers are clean and safe, biodegradable and compostable and manufactured in an environmentally responsible production process. They are derived from responsible wood sources coming from sustainably managed forests, following the stringent guidelines of the Lenzing Wood and Pulp Policy. Carbon neutral VEOCEL™ Lyocell and Viscose fibers have also been introduced by Lenzing as a solution for nonwovens industry partners and brands to reduce climate impact through the use of fibers with a net-zero carbon footprint. 

The VEOCEL™ brand is categorized into four branded offerings including VEOCEL™ Beauty, VEOCEL™ Body, VEOCEL™ Intimate and VEOCEL™ Surface and its fibers are used in baby care, beauty and body care, intimate care, and surface cleaning products. VEOCEL™ fibers are biodegradable in soil, fresh water, and marine conditions and compostable in home & industrial conditions, enabling them to break down safely into raw materials and fully revert into nature.

To find out more about Lenzing's initiatives on sustainability, please visit: https://www.lenzing.com/sustainability

About the Lenzing Group

The Lenzing Group stands for ecologically responsible production of specialty fibers made from the renewable raw material wood. As an innovation leader, Lenzing is a partner of global textile and nonwoven manufacturers and drives many new technological developments.

The Lenzing Group's high-quality fibers form the basis for a variety of textile applications ranging from elegant ladies clothing to versatile denims and high-performance sports clothing. Due to their consistent high quality, their biodegradability and compostability Lenzing fibers are also highly suitable for hygiene products and agricultural applications.

The business model of the Lenzing Group goes far beyond that of a traditional fiber producer. Together with its customers and partners, Lenzing develops innovative products along the value chain, creating added value for consumers. The Lenzing Group strives for the efficient utilization and processing of all raw materials and offers solutions to help redirect the textile sector towards a closed-loop economy. In order to reduce the speed of global warming and to accomplish the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement and the "Green Deal" of the EU Commission, Lenzing has a clear vision: namely to make a zero-carbon future come true.

Key Facts & Figures Lenzing Group 2022
Revenue: EUR 2.57 bn
Nominal capacity: 1,145,000 tonnes
Number of employees (headcount): 8,301
TENCEL™, VEOCEL™, LENZING™, REFIBRA™, ECOVERO™, LENZING MODAL™, LENZING VISCOSE™, MICROMODAL™ and PROMODAL™ are trademarks of Lenzing AG.

SOURCE VEOCEL