Published August 21, 2026
Vi-Jon, LLC — a St. Louis-based manufacturer that made store-brand body powders sold by major retailers before exiting talc production in 2016 — filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on August 2, 2026. The filing lists more than $700 million in estimated talc-related liabilities, a figure that has grown sharply from the company's original $120 million estimate as claims mounted. Roughly 367 mesothelioma and lung cancer claims tied to Vi-Jon's talc products were pending against the company at the time of filing.
Vi-Jon is a separate company from Johnson & Johnson, which has its own multibillion-dollar talc litigation ongoing, including a proposed $5.5 billion settlement announced earlier this year. Vi-Jon supplied private-label powder products to retail chains rather than selling under its own well-known brand name, which is part of why its litigation exposure has drawn less public attention even as claim volume against it has surged.
Before filing, Vi-Jon reached a restructuring support agreement with its parent company, Emprise Group, and with attorneys representing more than 75% of current talc claimants. Under the proposed plan, Emprise would contribute roughly $32 million — $25 million toward a talc claims trust and $7 million toward bankruptcy costs — plus an additional payment to keep the company operating through reorganization. If approved, the plan would move current and future Vi-Jon talc claims out of individual jury trials and into a trust-based claims process, similar to how other companies facing mass asbestos and talc litigation have resolved claims in bankruptcy.
For claimants, a bankruptcy filing changes the process — claims typically go through the bankruptcy court's claims procedure and eventually a trust, rather than a jury trial — but it does not mean claims disappear. Anyone who used Vi-Jon or store-brand talc powder products and was later diagnosed with mesothelioma or another asbestos-related illness should still have their case evaluated to understand how the bankruptcy affects their options.
See Atumio's Talcum Powder case page for a free eligibility review, or start your case review directly.