November 11, 2021
Advanced fiber treatment solutions help tailoring tissue products to delight consumers
Henkel’s Aquence XTRA softeners ensure softer, silkier and fluffier tissue products 

Düsseldorf – As an enduring trend in consumer goods, embracing products to offer relaxation, well-being, and self-care drives the transition from brand strength to brand loyalty: consumers seek out products that bring touches of everyday luxury, and this attribute can be the key to drive consumer delight. These trends are critical to manufacturers seeking to differentiate tissue products in a highly competitive global market. With the right combination of features, tissue paper can become an experience of well-being and care. This is how the advanced softeners from Henkel’s new Aquence XTRA range are changing the game. 

Thanks to dedicated formulations that act directly on fibers, Aquence XTRA softeners provide a highly effective and sustainable way to tailor tissue to best meet specific needs. Whether it’s the soft, smooth, and voluminous quality required for toilet paper, the silky smoothness that is ideal for cosmetic tissues, or these same qualities for food-contact applications, Henkel’s softeners have been proven to significantly outperform uncoated tissue paper to deliver a superior consumer experience.

Fulfilling different needs with dedicated Aquence XTRA softeners 

The Aquence XTRA range comprises three products that address specific needs: 

Developed to create the softest and most fluffy paper, Aquence XTRA SOFT is perfect for toilet paper. The special formula is designed to ensure a soft, bulky, fluffy structure to the paper, with a focus on influencing the space between the fibers and thereby the overall texture of the tissue. Additionally, this formulation ensures a smooth surface with a low coefficient of friction. 

Ideal for handkerchiefs or facial tissues, Aquence XTRA SILK creates an unprecedented level of smoothness and silkiness. This sophisticated formulated product influences the arrangement of fibers within the tissue texture to imbue a luxurious feeling of silkiness and smoothness when used on the skin. This product also introduces a high level of moisture feel into the paper and it is also suitable for providing softness to recycled paper.

Henkel’s all-in-one solution for when both softness and silkiness is priority – and when food safety approval is required, too. Aquence XTRA PRO employs a combination of substances that optimally balances softness, silkiness, and volume with food safety compliance. It is ideal for household paper and napkins.  

Demonstrably better performance
Aquence XTRA softeners help to create a difference that can be immediately perceived by consumers. However, to ensure this, each product within the range has been subjected to rigorous and diverse testing. This includes: panel tests with trained panelists to assess the subjective softness and fluffiness of tissues, industry standard measurement with EMTEC’s proven equipment, and through an analysis by electron microscope to evaluate the impact on fiber arrangement. 

Maximum performance with minimal impact
“At Henkel we take a visionary approach to seamlessly combine improved business performance and sustainability in all we do. The Aquence XTRA range is no exception and brings increased added value to our customers, while adding minimal impact in terms of cost or environmental performance,” explains Eilyn Meneses Villabona, Market Strategy Manager Personal Hygiene Adhesives EIMEA. 

The softeners are supplied as ready-to-use formulas with no dilution or mixing required, and can be applied on the tissue at room temperature. Thanks to their highly concentrated nature, they deliver impressive performance with low application weight and are therefore also feasible for low grammage tissue qualities. The raw materials used are water dispersible and biodegradable and moreover, are free of isopropyl alcohol and animal fat sourcing to further reduce impacts and maximize consumer acceptance. 

Further information can be found on following website: www.henkel-adhesives.com/aquence-xtra 

About Henkel
Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2020, Henkel reported sales of more than 19 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of about 2.6 billion euros. Henkel employs about 53,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. For more information, please visit www.henkel.com.

Photo material is available at www.henkel.com/press

Contact	Daniela Tonn
Email	daniela.tonn@henkel.com

Press Office	Vincent Zimmermann
Email	Henkel.adhesive-technologies@emanatepr.com 

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

The following photo material is available: 
Thanks to dedicated formulations that act directly on fibers, Aquence XTRA softeners provide a highly effective way to tailor tissue to best meet specific needs.