Exciting project creates textiles from forest resources!

Skogens tyg has been a collaboration between researchers at the University of Borås, RISE Processum and Mittuniversitet as well as various companies in the textile industry. Together, they have investigated the functionality of the paper yarn and tried to develop this to find new areas of use. The goal has been to develop new stretchable and soft textiles from paper yarn that can be applied to existing textile products. This would contribute to the vision of a circular bioeconomy and to the transition towards a sustainable society.

One example is the office furniture manufacturer Kinnarps, which covered a desk screen in textiles from the forest. The well-known company Fjällräven also tested changing their mesh fabric that they use on their caps to try the paper fabric produced instead.

The experiments to construct a useful fabric from dissolved paper pulp converted to cellulose fiber did not achieve the desired results. The process then focused on functionalizing the yarns that can be used and twisted into paper fibers. The project succeeded in producing fabrics that are wet-fast and that can be dyed and washed.

Towards a sustainable future

The project's goal to develop bio-based textile products with minimal resource use based on Sweden's already existing infrastructure contributes to a positive development of Sweden's bioeconomy.

During the project period alone, world production of textile fibers has gone from 90 to 115 million tons, and basically the entire increase is due to fossil-based polyester. However, this can be reduced by creating a resource-efficient textile value chain with bio-based materials. The project's industry-crossing composition has set exciting collaborations in motion, which have already developed commercial deals on a national level.

Read more about the project at: Skogens Tyg – steg 2 - BioInnovation