This latest step towards responsible and sustainable packaging practices is part of a more comprehensive product innovation strategy from the Sofidel Group

Sofidel, one of the leading global manufacturers of tissue paper for hygienic and domestic use – particularly well-known for its Regina brand – enhances its commitment to innovation and sustainability by launching its single-roll household towel Regina Blitz wrapped in kraft paper, a plant-based material that is renewable, biodegradable and easy to recycle – rather than plastic.

The Regina brand is well known for its Regina Blitz household towel which has entered the hearts and homes of so many consumers. For this reason, the first product wrapped in kraft paper packaging launched by the Group to the UK market will be Regina Blitz household paper towel which is scheduled to hit UK stores in mid-October.

This has been a standout year for the Regina Blitz brand, named the winner in the ‘Household Paper Category’ in the 2019 ‘Product of the Year Awards’. The Regina Blitz packaging will replace the previous polyethylene packaging.

This is one of a number of initiatives that Sofidel is implementing this year: the company is also announcing the launch of two new products that join now the Regina product range: Regina Seriously Soft and Regina Seriously Strong toilet papers wrapped in Mater-Bi^® – a biodegradable and compostable material which contains constituents from natural origin.

Philippe Defacqz, Sofidel Line of Business Director – Brand comments; “Regina keeps looking to the future. Regina products hold a leading position in the marketplace thanks to their high level of quality and innovation that the brand brings with it to offer the best product experience to our consumers”.

This move aligns the brand to the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions to the category and comes as part of an extensive product innovation strategy currently being implemented by the Group.

The Group is implementing eco-conscious packaging solutions in a bid to help fight the increasing amount of global plastic pollution. Sofidel is aiming to eliminate the equivalent of 600 tonnes of plastic a year from the packaging of its main European brands (including Regina, Cosynel, Nalys, Le Trèfle, Sopalin and KittenSoft) by the end of 2020. This will be achieved mainly thanks to the introduction of paper packaging in place of or alongside the existing products.

A new phase in the environmental sustainability strategy

The announcement is part of a broader vision, the overall goal set by the Sofidel Group is a 50% reduction in the use of conventional plastic in its production by 2030 (compared to 2013), which is equivalent to the elimination of over 11,000 tonnes of plastic released onto the market every year.

Sofidel’s ongoing commitment to its environmental strategy remains consistent with the policies and investments implemented in recent years by the Group, specifically:

• responsible procurement of raw material (100% virgin pulp certified by independent third parties in compliance with forestry certification schemes)
• energy-efficient plants (over 100 million euros in investments in cogeneration, photovoltaic, hydroelectric and biomass energy over a period of 10 years – 2009/2018)
• rational use of water resources within production processes (7.1 l/kg against a sector benchmark of 15-25 l/kg)
• technological innovation of production assets (Advantage New Tissue Technology (NTT) paper machines by Valmet and Constellation converting lines by Fabio Perini)

The Sofidel Group

The Sofidel Group is one of the leading manufacturers of paper for hygienic and domestic use worldwide. Established in 1966, the Group has subsidiaries in 13 countries – Italy, Spain, the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Turkey and the USA - with more than 6,000 employees, net sales of 1,706 million Euros (2018) and a production capacity of over one million tonnes per year (1,308,000 tonnes in 2018). “Regina”, its most well-known brand, is present on almost all the reference markets. Other brands include: Softis, Le Trèfle, Sopalin, Thirst Pockets, KittenSoft, Nalys, Cosynel, Yumy, Volare, Lycke, Forest, Nicky, Papernet. A member of the UN Global Compact and the international WWF Climate Savers program, the Sofidel Group considers sustainability a strategic factor with regards to growth and is committed to promoting socially and environmentally responsible development.