The Lenzing Group introduces Veocel, the company’s new nonwoven specialty brand. Positioned as a premium brand of nonwoven fibers for daily care rituals, Veocel provides the nonwovens industry with fibers that are certified clean and safe, biodegradable, from botanic origin and produced in an environmentally responsible production process. Offerings under the Veocel brand cover a broad range of applications for everyday use, from baby care, beauty and body care to intimate care and surface cleaning. Such applications are categorized under branded offers Veocel Beauty, Veocel Body, Veocel Intimate and Veocel Surface.  

The introduction of Veocel is a key milestone of Lenzing’s new brand strategy to transform from a business-to-business (B2B) fiber producer to a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) brand. Coupled with ongoing co-branding, joint marketing and brand education initiatives conducted with customers and brands globally, Veocel will enable Lenzing to shift its focus beyond fiber types to product application and build a relatable and emotional connection with consumers. 

“Guided by our sCore TEN strategy, the launch of the Veocel brand will accelerate our migration into a specialty fiber business with a strong focus on innovation, quality and sustainability. Through ongoing proactive communication, the Veocel brand will also promote a holistic understanding about the benefits of botanic fibers in nonwoven products across the industry value chain and among consumers. This will not only help to maximize the marketing efforts of our customers and partners, but also drive dialogue about sustainability across the nonwoven industry. Through the Veocel brand, we hope to address the growing demand for transparency and sustainability across the value chain and provide consumers with greener product options,” says Robert van de Kerkhof, chief commercial officer of Lenzing Group. 

Veocel fiber portfolio includes Veocel Lyocell and Veocel Specialty Viscose fibers, which are derived from renewable or sustainable wood sources from certified and controlled forests and plantations. The botanic origin of the fibers offers functional benefits such as improved moisture absorbency and management, contribution to breathability, good hand feel, blending versatility, and all Veocel fibers are certified biodegradable in soil, landfill, compost and seawater. With a strong commitment to ensure fiber cleanliness, these fibers are manufactured using a stringently monitored production process in accordance with Lenzing’s high quality, environmental and safety standards.  

The latest addition to the Veocel Surface brand – the Veocel Lyocell Fiber with “Quat” Release technology, is a premium and specialty wood-based cellulose fiber that is used in hard surface cleaning and disinfectant wet wipes. Veocel Lyocell fibers with Lenzing’s Quat Release technology allow quaternary ammonium compounds, also known as “Quat”, to be released from wet wipes onto the surface for effective cleaning and disinfecting in household and industrial environments. 

While the nonwovens industry has acknowledged the benefits of Lenzing’s cellulosic fibers, such as their sustainable nature, botanic origin and ability to improve cleaning experience, the majority of single-use cleaning and disinfectant wet wipes mainly consists of synthetic fibers such as polyester and polypropylene. This binding interaction substantially decreases the release of “Quat” and can negatively impact the efficacy of the disinfectant product. However, with Lenzing’s “Quat” Release technology, the binding of “Quat” to the surface of Veocel Lyocell Fibers is significantly reduced, resulting in improved effectiveness of surface cleaning and the disinfection process. Wet wipes containing Veocel Lyocell Fiber with “Quat” Release technology demonstrate significantly improved release of “Quat” from the wet wipe to the surface, resulting in improved product stability and performance. In addition, Veocel Lyocell fibers also promote good absorbency, homogenous distribution of liquid in wet wipes and good hand feel. 

“Today’s consumers, especially the millennial generation, are more mindful of their ecological footprint or the mark they leave on the natural environment and its resources. Since nonwoven products are mostly for single-use, we have seen increasing interest across the industry value chain in sustainable product composition and transparent production processes. With more consumers wanting to identify sustainable products that are biodegradable and environmentally responsible with proven functionality, the need for brands to be more transparent in product ingredient labelling is greater than ever. We hope that through Veocel and the newly launched Veocel Lyocell Fiber with 'Quat' Release technology under the Veocel Surface brand, we are able to drive the entire nonwoven market forward and raise the bar for ingredient labeling and environmental standards across the industry,” says Wolfgang Plasser, vice president, Global Business Management Nonwoven of Lenzing Group.  

Following the introduction of Veocel, joint promotional programs with retail brand partners will be rolled out to equip consumers with the knowledge they need to identify nonwoven products that combine advanced performance, comfort and sustainability. “With Veocel, we are building a consumer-focused ingredient brand that proactively communicates with consumers through a B2Me approach, which is unique to the nonwoven industry. Given nonwoven products are in close contact with skin or other sensitive areas of the body, ongoing consumer outreach plays a critical role in building trust among consumers. Matched with a tagline ‘purely for you’, we wish to convey a Veocel brand promise that highlights our dedication to provide certified clean and safe products and pure care to consumers and the environment,” says Harold Weghorst, director of Global Brand Management of Lenzing Group.