Wednesday, 23 January 2013 13:00

Lenzing Fibers Sold in Ja! Natürlich Products Featured

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len logoInnovation with Lenzing fibers: vegetable nets of 100% natural origin for Ja! Natürlich – the organic brand of REWE International AG

Recently Lenzing fibers made of the renewable raw material wood also began to be used in the retail food sector. The organic food supplier Ja! Natürlich took a further step to avoid plastics within the context of its Green Packaging Initiative launched in the year 2011. Accordingly, onions, potatoes and beetroots are now being packaged in 100% biodegradable nets.

An regional solution
100% Lenzing Modal® Color is used for the production of the nets, which was developed in a joint project involving the Packaging Center Graz, Lenzing AG and Borckenstein, a long-standing partner company of Lenzing AG. These nets keep the vegetables fresh even longer thanks to their moisture- regulating and breathable properties. In addition, they can be conveniently disposed of in the home compost because the nets are biodegradable. The fine nets which are soft to the touch also protect the contents more effectively than the previously used plastic nets.

“The time is ripe for ecological innovations such as this one. For Lenzing this project means entering a completely new market, from which we expect a lot in the future”, says Friedrich Weninger, COO of Lenzing AG with responsibility for research and development.

“Lenzing and Borckenstein have been trusted partners for decades, cooperating at a high technical level”, Manfred Kern, Managing Director of Borckenstein adds. “This was a decisive reason for the incredible speed with which this idea could be implemented”.

Lenzing Modal® Color is produced from European beech wood and is thus 100% natural. More than one-third of the wood is derived from Austrian forests. Pulp and fiber production are carried out in line with the principle of sustainability. Lenzing manufactures the pulp it uses itself, and thus exerts control over the entire production process, which is considered to be a worldwide best practice. This is unique in the global fiber industry.

“We are proud that Lenzing fibers can make such an important contribution to a better life”, comments Peter Untersperger, Chief Executive Officer of the Lenzing Group. “Lenzing fibers have become a small but often indispensable part of our modern industrial society. We are doing everything we can to produce these consumer goods with the least possible environmental impact. This Austrian innovation in the field of food packaging is clearly a step in the right direction”, Peter Untersperger adds.

“I am very happy that we have taken a further step forward in green packaging. In the light of the fact that plastics have dominated the field of packaging materials over the last 40 years, we are now offering a sustainable alternative based on the use of natural materials”, says Martina Hörmer, Managing Director of Ja! Natürlich.

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