Finnish sustainable textile pioneer Spinnova and the world’s largest pulp producer Suzano have officially opened their first commercial-scale facility producing wood-based SPINNOVA® fibre. Operated by Woodspin – Spinnova and Suzano’s joint venture – the plant will produce 1,000 metric tons of sustainable, recyclable and fully biodegradable textile fibre from responsibly-grown wood each year. This facility marks the first industrial operations Suzano has outside of Brazil. Woodspin has also announced plans to open a second site to scale production further. Their aim is to build one million metric tons of wood-based SPINNOVA® fibre annual production capacity by 2033.
“The global fashion and textile industry needs high quality sustainable and recyclable materials. At Woodspin we are bringing to the market Spinnova’s innovative biodegradable textile fibre, made using Suzano’s abundant supply of responsibly-sourced eucalyptus pulp. This has a radically lower environmental impact than alternative fibres such as cotton, offering one of the few genuinely scalable solutions to support sustainable production. We’re excited to ramp up production and create positive change.”
Capable of producing textile fibre with zero emissions, the modern facility also has a comprehensive approach to circularity and sustainability. As the only by-product of SPINNOVA® production is heat, the facility doesn’t require an environmental permit to operate. Using an advanced energy recovery system, excess heat is recycled into the local district heating system, estimated to save 2.4kg CO2e per kg of fibre produced, that would otherwise be required to generate district heat. Coupled with an environmentally friendly production process, Woodspin’s pioneering large-scale facility saves more emissions than it creates.
Juha Salmela, CTO and Co-Founder at Spinnova said: “Spinnova’s patented fibre production process doesn’t require any harmful chemicals or dissolving, nor does it generate waste or microplastics. It has a 74% smaller life cycle carbon footprint and uses 99.5% less water compared to conventional cotton production. The result is a natural, cotton-like textile fibre that meets the rigorous environmental and performance demands of brands and consumers alike – and, through facilities such as this one, can now be produced at scale.”
Spinnova fibre spun at Woodspin’s facility is produced from wood pulp made from certified, sustainably grown eucalyptus trees. All pulp is sourced from Suzano, which has a strict zero deforestation policy and only plants on land that was previously degraded.
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