Kelheim Fibres, Sandler And Pelzgroup Develop Plastic-Free Panty Liner
Viscose speciality fibre manufacturer Kelheim Fibres, nonwovens producer Sandler and hygiene product manufacturer pelzGROUP have developed a new panty liner that is plastic-free in accordance with the European Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). This innovative solution is a step towards reducing the amount of plastic in hygiene products – and thus also a contribution to tackling the global problem of plastic pollution.
According to a UNEP study on Marine Litter and Microplastics, eight million tons of plastic enter the oceans every year. Much of this pollution comes from single-use plastic products, including traditional period products such as pads or panty liners.
The need for sustainable alternatives has never been greater, and this collaboration between Kelheim Fibres, Sandler and Pelz is a much-needed step in the right direction.
The partnership between the three companies was formed under the principle of open innovation, which enabled a creative exchange of ideas and facilitated the development of a truly innovative product. According to Jessica Zeitler, R&D Specialist at Sandler, “Our collaboration with Kelheim Fibres and pelzGROUP is a great example of how companies can work together to create solutions that benefit both the environment and consumers. We are proud to be part of this project and the opportunities it offers.”
It is important for hygiene product manufacturer pelzGROUP to combine sustainability and performance in order to achieve great acceptance in the market. “Our panty liner meets the strict requirements of the European Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) and is in no way inferior to conventional synthetic products in terms of performance. At the same time, there is a completely European supply chain behind our new panty liner. This means short distances and thus a low CO2output and – especially in times of global upheaval – reliability for our customers,” emphasizes Dr. Henning Röttger, Head of Business Development at pelzGROUP.
“Our viscose speciality fibres are an environmentally friendly and at the same time high-performance alternative to synthetic materials,” says Dominik Mayer, Project Manager Fibre & Application Development at Kelheim Fibres. “They are at the very beginning of the product value chain and yet have a huge impact on the functionality of the end product. Open innovation enables us to bring all partners in the value chain to the table and work together to find the best solution and bring it to commercialization in a very short time – the collaboration with Sandler and pelzGROUP is an important milestone in our AHP journey.”
The panty liner will soon be commercially available under the COSMEA brand of the pelzGROUP.
