TCF POST Report
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Danish biosolutions company Novonesis has launched DeniBrite™, a consolidated enzymatic biobleaching platform for denim, as fashion brands, formulators and laundries face growing pressure to deliver distinctive denim finishes while reducing chemical impact and strengthening sustainability compliance.
The platform brings together Novonesis’ established enzymatic bleaching solutions DeniBrite™ Cold T and DeniBrite™ Vintage, designed to give denim processors greater flexibility in creating contemporary bright effects, vintage fades and grey-cast finishes. The launch also strengthens Novonesis’ position in textile processing at a time when chemical management is emerging as one of the industry’s key environmental and operational challenges.
According to the Environmental Impact Measurement (EIM) Denim Laundry Industry Progress & Insights 2025 report, 27% of denim finishing processes are still classified as having high chemical impact. The finding highlights the continuing need for alternatives that can reduce reliance on conventional bleaching chemistries while maintaining the appearance and performance expected by denim brands.
From denim aesthetics to proof of production
Hans Ole Klingenberg, Vice President, Planetary Health Biosolutions at Novonesis, said the industry’s priorities have evolved beyond simply achieving the right denim look. “For decades, denim bleaching was about achieving the right look. Today, it is also about proving how that look was made,” Klingenberg said.
He said brands, formulators and laundries increasingly need confidence that bleaching systems can satisfy changing expectations around chemical compliance and sustainability. “With DeniBrite™, we’re combining proven enzyme technology with verified sustainability documentation to help customers create authentic denim finishes while preparing for what’s next,” he added.
Two technologies, wider denim applications
DeniBrite Cold T is designed for bright, contemporary denim effects using low-temperature bleaching, while DeniBrite Vintage is aimed at authentic vintage finishes and grey-cast effects.
The combined platform allows laundries and formulators to select technologies according to fashion direction, brand requirements and consumer preferences, while potentially reducing dependence on traditional bleaching approaches.
Novonesis is also emphasizing the documentation behind the products. As a bluesign System Partner, the company says its DeniBrite products are bluepass certified, meaning they are produced through processes that meet bluesign Criteria.
The portfolio is also available in ZDHC Level 3-compliant formulations, giving denim processors additional documentation for chemical-management and customer-compliance requirements.
A screening-level Life Cycle Assessment of DeniBrite Cold T found approximately 40% lower global warming potential and 28% lower water consumption compared with conventional sodium hypochlorite bleaching under the assessed conditions.
Novonesis cautioned that these results apply to the modeled comparison and should not be interpreted as representative of all formulations, production processes or operating conditions.
Denim launch fits broader Novonesis growth strategy
The DeniBrite launch comes as Novonesis expands its biological solutions across industrial markets.
Formed in 2024 through the combination of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, Novonesis develops enzymes, microorganisms, probiotics and other biosolutions for industries spanning food and beverages, human health, agriculture, animal health, household care, bioenergy and industrial applications.
The company has around 11,000 employees and operates across more than 30 industries, giving the denim initiative a place within a much broader industrial biosolutions portfolio.
Financially, Novonesis entered 2026 with strong growth momentum. In Q1 2026, the company reported 7% organic sales growth and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 37.8%.
For 2025, organic sales also increased 7%, while adjusted EBITDA margin reached 37.1%. Emerging markets were particularly strong, growing 9% organically, compared with 6% growth in developed markets.
Asia increasingly important to Novonesis
Asia is becoming increasingly significant to the company’s manufacturing and growth strategy, particularly as emerging markets already account for roughly one-third of Novonesis’ sales.
In April 2026, Novonesis agreed to acquire a production facility in Rayong, Thailand, from Meihua for approximately US$50 million. The transaction is expected to strengthen the company’s fermentation capacity and manufacturing footprint in Southeast Asia.
That expansion is strategically relevant to the textile business because Asia remains the world’s dominant manufacturing base for denim, garments and textile processing. A stronger regional production footprint could therefore support Novonesis’ ability to serve textile processors and other industrial customers closer to major manufacturing markets.
Positioning biology for denim’s next phase
Novonesis is positioning DeniBrite not simply as a replacement for a conventional bleaching chemical, but as part of a wider shift toward biological processing combined with documented sustainability performance. For denim laundries, the challenge is increasingly twofold: maintaining the visual effects that define denim fashion while demonstrating that those effects can be achieved with improved chemical and environmental performance.
With DeniBrite, Novonesis is seeking to address both sides of that equation—preserving the creative flexibility of denim finishing while helping manufacturers prepare for tightening expectations around chemical management, sustainability documentation and compliance. The platform is available globally through Novonesis and its channel partners.