Seventh Generation Breakthrough Gets New USDA BioPreferred Seal

BURLINGTON, VT--(Marketwire - Nov 17, 2011) - Seventh Generation, a leading maker of non-toxic and renewable household and personal care products, has announced that a radical new reformulation of its best-selling laundry liquids has received one of the first ever USDA BioPreferred labels. 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 its partners at Rhodia, member of the Solvay group.

As a result of this dramatic breakthrough in detergent technology, Seventh Generation's new laundry detergent has 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.

Seventh Generation's new laundry detergent uses a groundbreaking new surfactant, a key ingredient in soil removal. Seventh Generation, together with Rhodia, has developed this unique surfactant by combining ethylene oxide derived from sugar cane and plant-derived lauryl alcohol. This surfactant contains no petroleum, has 100% renewable carbon and features outstanding detergent properties.

"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, Vice President, Home & Personal Care Market at Rhodia.

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 4X formula that delivers excellent cleansing at the half the dosage of standard 2X formulas while cutting shipping and storage requirements in half. This 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. Finally, there is the packaging all this performance will come in: An innovative energy- and resource-saving bottle literally made from 100% post-consumer recycled newspaper and cardboard that is fully recyclable, compostable, and quite simply the most sustainable product ever created by Seventh Generation and its packaging partner, Ecologic Brands.

Company officials expect the new plant-based surfactant formula to premiere on store shelves in early November. Consumers should look for the BioPreferred label on select product packages, while noting that all Seventh Generation laundry detergents will feature the new surfactant early in 2012.

ABOUT SEVENTH GENERATION
Seventh Generation is committed to being the most trusted brand of household and personal-care products for your living home. Our products are healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home -- and for the community and environment outside of it. Seventh Generation also offers baby products that are safe for your children and the planet. The company derives its name from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy that states, "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." Every time you use a Seventh Generation product you are making a difference by saving natural resources, reducing pollution, and making the world a better place for this and the next seven generations.

For information on Seventh Generation cleaning, paper, baby and feminine personal care products, to find store locations, and explore the company's website visit www.seventhgeneration.com. To read more about Seventh Generation's corporate responsibility, visit the 2010 Corporate Consciousness Report.

ABOUT RHODIA
Rhodia, member of the Solvay group, is a specialty chemical company resolutely committed to sustainable development. As a leader in its businesses, the Group aims to improve its customers' performance through the pursuit of operational excellence and its ability to innovate. Structured around 11 Global Business Units, Rhodia is the partner of major players in the automotive, electronics, flavors and fragrances, health, personal and home care markets, consumer goods and industrial markets. Rhodia employs around 14 000 people worldwide and generated sales of EUR 5.23 billion in 2010.

Rhodia Novecare, one of the 11 Rhodia's GBU, with net sales of about EUR 1.2 billion in 2010, provides high-performance products and solutions to a wide range of industries including cosmetics, detergents, agrochemicals, oil & gas, as well as coating and industrial applications. Thanks to a worldwide industrial footprint and global R&D and tech-support network, Rhodia Novecare holds leading positions in surfactants, amines, phosphorus derivatives, natural & synthetic polymers and monomers technologies, and eco-friendly solvents-based formulations. Rhodia Novecare has developed particular expertise to answer and anticipate customer needs in protection, surface modification, rheology, active delivery, improvement of formulations and processes and sustainable solutions.

For more information, please visit our website: www.rhodia.com.