Mimicking how spiders weave their webs, Spinnova CPO Lotta Kopra describes it as a radical innovation in mechanical processing without any harmful chemicals.
— This is very different compared to other technologies relying on chemical dissolving and modification like viscose process relying on toxic chemicals, making our technology unique and scalable with the potential to transform the way textiles are made globally, she explains.
The company is able to produce textile fibres from various raw materials like agricultural and food industry waste, wood, old textiles, and even leather waste, without harmful chemicals. It produces 65 % less CO2 emissions and uses 99 % less water than cotton production and contains zero microplastics.
Who do you work with?
— We partner with leading global brands like adidas, The North Face, and the H&M Group. In February, adidas unveiled their first product made of Spinnova fibre, the Terrex HS1 hoodie that will be available for consumers in July. All our brand partners are involved in a long-term collaboration and securing commercial access to our fibre going forward, Kopra says.
Spinnova’s first commercial-scale factory is expected to be completed in Finland at the end of this year. Together with its strategic partner, the world’s largest market pulp producer Suzano, they have a scaling ambition of a million tonnes of global fibre production capacity per year within the next 10–12 years. Spinnova has also teamed up in a joint venture called Respin with global premium-quality shoe brand ECCO and its leather partner KT Trading, for a pilot production line to create the Spinnova leather fibre. It’s a new, circular textile made of side streams of ECCO’s leather tanneries, and the companies see great potential in many applications, including footwear.