The LCA is the most comprehensive tool to evaluate environmental impacts throughout a product’s lifecycle. For Eucafluff, we focused on its development and production stages – from wood acquisition to fluff delivery. Excluded were manufacturing, usage, and disposal stages, as they remain constant regardless of fluff origin.

Comparing Suzano’s eucalyptus fluff pulp to pine fluff pulp from the southeastern US (85 per cent of global production), our LCA highlights Eucafluff’s significant advantages: lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced water and fossil fuel consumption, and minimised land use.

Our LCA aimed to compare Eucafluff’s environmental impact with pine fluff produced in the SE USA. Following industry best practice, we sought an independent review to ensure analysis reliability. KPMG’s role was to verify the methodology and final analysis’s adherence to ISO standards. The Eucafluff LCA was rooted in ISO 14040 and 14044 guidelines. We utilised Suzano’s reported data for eucalyptus and fluff pulp production, alongside publicly available secondary data for pine and pine fluff pulp from the southeastern US.

We believe it will demonstrate that planted eucalyptus is a crop that can be grown sustainably and at scale, thereby providing a solution to global demand for fluff without impacting the environment. By growing a more efficient crop in terms of land use, it also helps reduce the pressure for land needed for other important agricultural crops.

Every time we share this data with customers, the response is consistently impactful. Moreover, when we convey the significance of the 82 per cent reduction in land use as a tangible benefit in the end product supply, it is easier for the industry to understand how leveraging Eucafluff’s lowered footprint can lead to a corresponding reduction in their own end product’s environmental impact.

Eucafluff offers a significantly lower carbon footprint in comparison to pine fluff produced in the US. This is due to a variety of factors, including the use of renewable and cleaner energy matrix. In fact, more than 85 per cent of the energy matrix used in the production process comes from renewable sources such as black liquor, a residue from pulp production. As a result, greenhouse gas emissions during the production and logistics of Eucafluff are 30 per cent lower when compared with Pinus fluff produced from pine in the Southeast of the US.

Eucafluff’s LCA findings place this new raw material as a product with high potential to help companies address one of the biggest challenges they face today: to reduce the environmental impact of their end products and be part of the solution to the climate crisis.

Eucalyptus fibres have shorter lengths and thinner wall cells than long-length pine fibres. As a result, absorbent pads made with Eucafluff are more compacted, resulting in thinner end products.

Through tests performed at Optima’s laboratory, comparing packages of baby diapers with 100 per cent Eucafluff with diapers made with pine fluff, we could prove that it was entirely possible to reduce the size of the package and, consequently, to reduce the consumption of plastic material used in the packaging of the products.

Diapers using Eucafluff showed a reduction of 18 per cent (in sq metres) in the consumption of packaging material. In addition to evident sustainability benefits, the hygiene industry stands to gain from both production and logistics cost savings. It is crucial to highlight that these gains extend beyond industry cost efficiency, holding the potential to advance sustainability objectives by harmonising environmental impacts throughout the production chain.

Opting for the transformation of an existing wood-free coated paper machine was a groundbreaking decision, especially considering the industry’s lack of knowledge in hardwood fluff pulp production at the time. The machine’s adaptability was crucial, allowing seamless transitioning between fluff pulp and coated paper production to match varying demands.

The conversion of the originally 1960s-built PM5 included transitioning the original double screen forming section to a single screen, reconfiguring the press felt circuit, altering the tip passage, and integrating a steam box, among other modifications.

Our approach was firmly rooted in the ‘learn by doing’ philosophy. Following the conversion, the industrial team continuously fine-tuned the machine and processes to elevate productivity and product quality. Over seven years since initiating eucalyptus fluff production, we have evolved into experts, mastering the technology for hardwood fluff production.

Eucafluff is strategically poised to expand its presence in the adult diaper segment, capitalising on the immense potential and increasing demand for sustainable hygiene products in this demographic.

As sustainability becomes an integral consideration for consumers worldwide, there is a rising need for eco-friendly alternatives across various industries, including hygiene. Eucafluff with its exceptional sustainability profile and superior performance, is well-positioned to meet this demand. By leveraging our innovative product, we can provide sustainable solutions that cater to the growing market.