TreeToTextile invests €35 million for building demonstration plant for upscaling new sustainable textile fiber

For building a demonstration plant in Sweden for upscaling new sustainable textile fiber, TreeToTextile has invested €35 million. TreeToTextile is owned by Inter IKEA Group, Stora Enso, H&M Group, and LSCS Invest. To make sustainable textile fibers available to all is the main aim behind this. Towards commercializing a new sustainable textile fiber made using scalable technology and lower manufacturing cost, it is a crucial next step.

The demand for sustainable textile fibers is rising all over the world. TreeToTextile is committed to enabling the access of sustainable textile fibers for brands, enterprises, and others with a progressive agenda. To produce bio-based textile fibers at an attractive cost level along with a lower environmental footprint, new technology is offered by TreeToTextile which is a regenerated cellulosic fiber produced from sustainable and renewable sourced raw materials from the forest.

A third-party verified Life-Cycle-Assessment study confirms the strong sustainability performance of TreeToTextile fiber. Considering the sustainability targets, the new technology would consume less energy, chemicals as well as water when compared to the production of conventional fibers.  The manufacturing process is intentionally designed to have lower energy demand and chemical needs. It also includes a recovery system for reusing chemicals and is made to suit large-scale production.

Sigrid Barnekow TreeToTextile’s CEO said that their technology has the capability to reduce the environmental footprint of the textile industry. In enabling the textile industry to become sustainable and circular, TreeToTextile can play an important contributing part in the world. As assessed by them along with their innovative agendas, owners’ support, know-how, and size.

In order to upscale the process technology, TreeToTextile is now investing to construct a demonstration plant whose production capacity will be 1,500 tons of fiber per year. The whole cost is €35 million for which €7,6 million is funded from the Swedish Energy Agency while €27,4 million is funded from the owners, H&M Group, Stora Enso, Inter IKEA Group, and LSCS Invest. The plant is situated at Stora Enso’s Nymölla mill in southern Sweden whose construction will start in spring 2021.

Chairwoman/ Vice President of TreeToTextile, Biomaterials at Stora Enso, Emerging Businesses and Alliances Management Roxana Barbieru said that cooperation is the key to creating real change. At the beginning of their operations, they are a young organization but they are finally on the go after investing in a demonstration plant. To support climate action they are turning years of R&D into reality through this plant by increasing the biobased share on the textile market. Hence, it is a very important point for TreeToTextile.