11.18.11
Seventh Generation’s reformulation of its best-selling laundry liquids has garnered one of the first ever USDA BioPreferred labels, the company has announced.
The new all-natural, plant-derived surfactant will make its debut in Seventh Generation 2X laundry liquid and will soon be available in a new industry-leading 4Xformula that delivers excellent cleansing at the half the dosage of standard 2X formulas while cutting shipping and storage requirements in half, the firm said.
The upgraded formula also contains new enzymes that target a wider array of stains and appreciably boost the product's already impressive cleaning power in both standard and HE machines.
Company officials expect the new plant-based surfactant formula to premiere on store shelves this month.
The innovation responsible for this distinction is a brand new surfactant derived entirely from plant-based materials that's been developed by the company and Rhodia.
The unique surfactant, which combines ethylene oxide derived from sugar cane and plant-derived lauryl alcohol, contains no petroleum, has 100% renewable carbon and features outstanding detergent properties, the company said.
As a result of this "dramatic breakthrough in detergent technology," Seventh Generation's new laundry detergenthas become one of just a handful of products in the nation to be awarded the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new BioPreferred seal, which certifies products that are entirely or significantly made from renewable agricultural ingredients and materials.The new labeling program is intended to help consumers make purchases that reduce dependence on petroleum, boost rural economies, and alleviate climate change.
"It's hard to overstate just how big this is," said Seventh Generation CEO John Replogle. "It's a cleaning industry holy grail of sorts and something we've been working on for a long time. Thanks to this new chemistry, we've created a premium high performance laundry detergent and dramatically boosted the overall renewable content of our laundry liquid from 77% to 97%."
"The development of this bio-based technology is a good example of Rhodia's strategy to be the preferred partner of our customers to implement sustainable solutions without compromising performance," said Oliver Hufer, VP, home & personal care market at Rhodia.
Consumers should look for the BioPreferred label on select product packages,.
All Seventh Generation laundry detergents will feature the new surfactant in early in 2012.