Kuura Fibre shows low environmental impact in new LCA

Metsä Spring, the innovation arm of Metsä Group, has completed a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for its Kuura textile fiber. To assess the environmental impact of a potential commercial-scale production facility for Kuura, Metsä Spring commissioned Etteplan to conduct the study using the standard LCA method. The results were critically reviewed by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.

The assessment found that Kuura has a significantly lower global warming potential than other textile fibres. Its GWP score is less than one-third of viscose, which is considered the next best alternative. “GWP” measures the relative impact of greenhouse gases over time. Compared to lyocell, Kuura’s GWP is over 80% lower, and it is just 25% of the GWP of cotton.

Metsä Group aims to introduce a textile fiber that is competitive in multiple areas, with a strong focus on environmental sustainability and climate impact reduction. According to Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of Metsä Spring, the latest independent evaluation confirms the promising potential of Kuura. He hopes these findings will encourage further development of the fiber.

Unlike conventional synthetic cellulosic fibers like viscose and lyocell, which are made from dissolving pulp, Kuura is produced using softwood Kraft pulp. The raw material for Kuura comes from nearby forests, ensuring a local and sustainable supply chain for both pulp and textile fiber mills.