TOOLBOX / FIBERS / SPINNOVA

spinnova.

Spinnova is a natural, cellulose, bast fiber. It is made from wood, but other than lyocell fibers, it is produced without involving any harmful chemicals, minimal water use and emissions and zero waste.

The Finnish company Spinnova, the only producer of the fiber, was founded in 2015 by the cellulose expert Juha Salmela and Janne Poranen, Head of Biomaterials research area at VTT.

For the production of Spinnova, only wood from FSC and/or PEFC certified tree farms is used. The fiber is manufactured by refining the raw material mechanically a very fine, paste-like material called micro fibrillated cellulose. Historically, micro fibrillated cellulose has been produced on a small scale, for small volume products such as cosmetics, but the use of it never exceeded this small range. The production of Spinnova does not require cellulose dissolution or other chemical changes in the raw material. The physically manufactured pulp mass flows through a unique nozzle, where the fibers and fibrils rotate and align with the flow, creating a strong and elastic fiber network. The fiber is then spun and dried.

The company is also looking into using post-consumer cotton as feedstock and intends to expand to other raw materials like agricultural and bio waste based cellulose. Even though Spinnova is still produced in a very small scale, it is a very promising approach for creating circular materials. According to the company, Spinnova can be recycled several times without a loss in fiber quality or the need to add new fibers.

Spinnova can be considered much more environmentally friendly than many other fibers. It uses 99.5% less water than cotton and has relatively low CO2 emissions (they state it is about 60% less than the emissions of cotton production). The energy use for the production has not been communicated by the company.

Spinnova fiber is completely biodegradable. Things like dye, toxic chemicals, blended fibers and trims can hinder biodegradability.

+ PROS

what it gives.

  • stretch quality like cotton
  • similar strength to cotton
  • insulating
  • can be made waterrepellant
  • can be made absorbing

− CONS

what it asks.

ADVICE

what to look for.

Use this fibers not mixed with other fiber types, as this might influence its potential for circular use or biodegradability.

SOURCES & FURTHER READING

where this comes from.

https://cfda.com/resources/materials

Home

https://www.commonobjective.co/article/the-chemical-free-alternative-to-viscose

← BACK TO ALL FIBERS

TALK IT THROUGH →