Spinning birch fibre into clothing – a historic, ground-breaking innovationWith the creation of textile fibre, FIBIC’s FuBio Cellulose programme has produced a breakthrough, achieved through the tight integration of science and practical skills. The Finnish Bioeconomy Cluster FIBIC brought the research partners together.

SUCCESSSTORY

Ionic solvents play a key role in making textile fibre. The pro-

cess has major advantages over the traditional ways in which

dissolving pulp has been made.

“Part of the FuBio Cellulose programme was a pre-com-

mercial research project for dissolving wood fibre. The goal

was a new process for producing textile fibre from wood that

would be ecological, safe and simple,” said Jari Räsänen, R&D

manager at Stora Enso.

“The success of the project has created new opportunities

for future business operations.This new technology can also

be used to replace the current methods for making textile fib-

ers from dissolving pulp.”

COST-EFFECTIVE, ECOLOGICAL PROCESS

The project started from the work on ionic solvents that had

been done at the University of Helsinki. Skills in process devel-

opment were provided by Aalto University School of Chemical

Technology.

Begun in 2010, the project studied ways of spinning dis-

solved wood fibre by extruding ionic liquid. The filaments are

drawn as they travel briefly through the air, before passing

through a water basin, where the fibres are reformed while

the ionic solvent is removed. There are several more stages,

where the fibres are washed, dried, carded and spun.

The big breakthrough came in 2013, when the researchers

found an ionic liquid that would not only dissolve fibres but

was also suitable for regeneration, so that its chemicals could

be recycled.

Another milestone was the development of a process that

could use domestic birch wood as its feedstock. Unlike certain

specialist raw materials, birch is readily available. It will per-

mit large-scale production, enough to satisfy the future needs

of the textile industry.

“Not only is this process for refining pulp very innovative.

It also creates large-scale demand for a domestic feedstock,”

says Kari Kovasin, Research Team manager at Metsä Fibre.

A fashion show arranged by the renowned design house

Marimekko in March 2014 presented a dress produced from

birch fibre.

SOARING TEXTILE DEMAND

Over the next 15 years, the demand for textile fibres is expect-

ed to rise by nearly 100 percent. At the same time, a shortage

of water and suitable farmland will prevent an increase in cot-

ton production. These conditions alone will stimulate the mar-

ket for wood-based fibre that can be ecologically produced.

Moreover, the textile fibre produced by this method is high

in quality. Tests have shown that it has good tensile strength

MORE INFORMATION:

Anna SuurnäkkiProgramme ManagerVTTTel. +358 40 525 7432anna.suurnakki@vtt.fi

Markku LeskeläCTOFinnish Bioeconomy Cluster FIBIC OyTel. +358 50 5987665markku.leskela@fibic.fi

www.fibic.fi

”The big breakthrough came in 2013, when the researchers

found an ionic liquid that would not only dissolve fibres but was also suitable for regeneration.”

and resists abrasion. Textiles made from it shimmer and feel

comfortable. Its fibres are stronger than those of cotton or vis-

cose.

“This is the start of something entirely new,” claims Jari

Räsänen. “We are confident that ongoing development will be

successful. So far tests have been in the laboratory but I be-

lieve that the process can be scaled up and will result in cost-

effective, sustainable industrial production.”

FIRST IN THE WORLD

The in-depth research that created this method for producing

textile fibres – first in the world -was financed by FIBIC.

“Thanks to FIBIC we are leaders in the field. Even on a global

scale, this innovation is one of the most significant for a long

time,” Jari Räsänen believes.

“FIBIC is playing an important role in renewing the Finnish

forest industry because it facilitates collaborative work. There

is no problem with competition law because FIBIC projects are

pre-commercial research. Within them, companies can work to-

wards a common objective,” Kari Kovasin points out.

Anna Suurnäkki of VTT Research Centre, who has managed

the FuBio Cellulose programme, says that the development of

textile fibres is a good example of what FIBIC does well.

“By combining the skills of different organisations, it can

transform a good idea into commercially exploitable results

that open markets to Finnish industry,” she explains.

“FIBIC programmes concentrate on combining the theoreti-

cal and the practical in search of the useful. When all the pieces

click into place, we can produce revolutionary breakthroughs.”