Woolchemy Strikes Deal with BCNonwovens

Woolchemy, the New Zealand–based materials innovation company transforming sheep wool into high-performance, sustainable hygiene materials, has signed a Collaboration Agreement with BCNonwovens (BCN), a Spanish, family-owned manufacturer specializing in spunlace nonwoven materials for hygiene applications.

Under the agreement, Woolchemy and BCNonwovens will collaborate to advance scale-up manufacturing of the neweFlex platform and its application formats, including neweFlex ADL and neweFlex™ wipes, for use in wipes, baby care, feminine hygiene, and incontinence products. The collaboration builds on a successful initial manufacturing trial at BCNonwovens, followed by subsequent testing and validation work.

Woolchemy’s patented materials platform is built on neweFibre, the world’s first hygiene-grade wool—purified to meet the stringent regulatory requirements of disposable hygiene products. neweFlex incorporates neweFibre alongside plant-based fiber to deliver strong moisture management, comfort and skin compatibility, while offering a renewable and biodegradable alternative to petroleum-derived materials traditionally used in hygiene nonwovens.

“Working with BCNonwovens marks an important step in our journey from innovation to industrialization,” says Derelee Potroz-Smith, CEO and co-founder of Woolchemy. “BCNonwovens brings deep expertise in spunlace nonwovens and a highly capable manufacturing platform. Together, we are focused on delivering wool- based materials like neweFlex™ at scale, while meeting the performance, quality, and regulatory expectations of the global hygiene industry.”

“Woolchemy’s technology represents a compelling new direction for nonwoven materials in hygiene,” said Marko Rajamaa, CEO of BCNonwovens. “Wool is particularly interesting as it can be incorporated into spunlace nonwovens using established manufacturing processes, while delivering functional benefits that translate into clear points of difference for customers in a highly competitive market.”

The collaboration reflects a shared intent to reduce reliance on fossil-derived plastics in disposable hygiene products. Today, more than 300,000 diapers are discarded every minute, with approximately 93% of materials used in hygiene products derived from petroleum. Woolchemy’s materials leverage ethically sourced, vegetarian-certified New Zealand wool, withover 50% bio-sequestered carbon by weight, to support customer demand for more circular material solutions in hygiene nonwovens.

The parties intend to progress further customer trials and commercial evaluations over the coming months, with the objective of a future supply agreement, subject to successful technical and commercial outcomes.