Getting ahead of EU regulation with Valida

Since the EU microplastic ban became law in 2022, demand for natural and green solutions in the personal care and homecare market in Europe is at an all-time high. Sappi Valida is a natural and biodegradable alternative to microplastics that can help businesses meet EU regulatory requirements.  

Multiple commercial products such as shampoo, skin care creams containing Valida have been launched by our customers. Made of natural cellulose, Valida performs as a stabiliser and additive booster in cosmetic applications and is enjoying a rise in eco-friendly reputation across Europe. 

Spurred by the EU’s 2020 Chemical Strategy for Sustainability, similar interest in Valida is growing amongst the construction and coating industry. Valida is marked in Europe as a biobased and sustainable functional additive to replace fossil-based chemicals in concrete and coatings, making it an attractive choice for manufacturers and consumers alike.

These diversified adjacent markets for Sappi are set for continued growth as more customers realise the many eco-advantages that Valida offers.

Valida is a renewable material - natural cellulose, the most abundant organic material on earth. Valida contains the smallest component of cellulose - cellulose fibrils. Dispersed in water, cellulose fibrils form an extensive network through hydrogen bonding and mechanical entanglement. The formed network stabilises particles in suspension and oil-in-water emulsions without an emulsifier.