Supporting the nonwovens industry journey towards transparency

Consumer shopping behaviours have fundamentally shifted over the last year. Now more than ever before, consumers around the globe increasingly view social and sustainable causes as key selling points, seeking out brands and products that correspond to their values. Nearly six in ten consumers surveyed in a 2020 IBM global survey stated they were ready to change their purchasing habits to reduce their environmental impact, while close to eight in ten respondents said sustainability was important to them. What’s more, over 70% of those who stated that sustainability was extremely important to them were willing to pay a premium of 35% on average for sustainable and environmentally responsible brands.

However, sustainability claims are simply not enough to gain consumer trust today, as consumers are armed with more knowledge than ever before, thanks to the internet. Especially for the beauty, personal care and hygiene sectors, consumers demand to know what is in their products and how they were made. Following the rise of the clean beauty trend in 2019, transparency became a prerequisite for conscious consumption. The past year’s events have only underlined consumers' demand to make safe, informed choices concerning their product purchases, especially when it comes to raw materials. According to a UEBT 2020 survey, consumers expect more information on packaging, with 82% wanting to know the origin of ingredients and 78% wishing to understand the social impact of sourcing local ingredients. Furthermore, 71% of consumers surveyed by the IBM survey noted that traceability into a brand’s supply chain is crucial to them.

Tracing and tracking raw materials down to the origin of the fiber remains a complex task for many brands, even though it is rapidly becoming the main requirement for the success of many brands within the nonwovens industry. In response to increasing consumer demand and brand demand for traceability and transparency, new innovative technologies are emerging that support both brands upstream and downstream supply chains. For example, Lenzing’s E-Branding Service, an online platform, ensures brands and consumers the use of sustainable materials in their products. First launched in 2018 for the textile industry, leading fiber manufacturer Lenzing recently extended the platform to its nonwoven partners and product brands through their VEOCEL™ brand.

"Expanding the platform to our VEOCEL™ brand partners was a logical next step, especially during a time when the popularity of single-use personal care products is skyrocketing," says Harold Weghorst, Vice President of Global Marketing & Branding of Lenzing AG. "The move is a first for the nonwovens industry, showcasing our commitment for a more sustainable future. Two years ago, we introduced a bold certification requirement, mandating nonwoven products to be made of 100% cellulosic and biodegradable materials before being qualified to use the VEOCEL™ logo."

As the first online licensing and certification platform for the nonwovens industry, Lenzing's E-Branding Service offers VEOCEL™ brand partners a platform designed to streamline the certification process. Providing the growing network of VEOCEL™ brand partners with additional peace of mind. The platform gives manufacturers, retailers and brands within the nonwovens industries the chance to license their use of branded fibers, thereby guaranteeing their use of sustainable, high-quality and ethically sourced materials. The Lenzing E-Branding Service merges registration, application and approval in a state-of-the-art online system designed to reduce response times and with the overall aim of enhancing efficiency for all by digitizing workflow.

"Transparency is at the core of everything we do, from the sustainable forests where we derive our renewable raw material wood for our VEOCEL™ branded fibers, to their responsible manufacturing process and associated environmental credentials," says Jürgen Eizinger, Vice President of Global Nonwovens Business, Lenzing AG. "Any information we can provide to our brand partners will empower them to make informed decisions about the type of organisation they want to be and to communicate openly also to their consumers."

The online platform acts as a digital hub for VEOCEL™ brand partners and includes additional features to apply for new licenses, monitor application status, and manage existing licenses. Simultaneously, the platform is also a support portal, showcasing the latest branding guidelines and support for VEOCEL™ brand licesned products, assisting brands in developing co-branding campaigns that can enhance the value of their products. It also highlights Lenzing's ongoing commitment to driving sustainability within the nonwovens industry while setting new standards for greater transparency.

"We understand that supply chain transparency is a long-term ambition for brands, and not just a simplified list of steps," adds Eizinger. "Ultimately, transparency breeds trust, and the VEOCEL™ brand will continue to work tirelessly to ensure our brand partners can provide ensured visibility to their end-users."

To find out more about VEOCEL™, go to www.veocel.com