What Is Hesperaloe Fiber and Why Is Kimberly-Clark Investing in It?

Hesperaloe is a desert plant with unusually long, slender fibers that could provide an alternative to northern bleached softwood kraft pulp (NBSK) in premium tissue products. Kimberly-Clark is investing in Hesperaloe because the fiber may offer the combination of strength and softness tissue producers need while reducing dependence on a constrained Canadian softwood pulp supply.