Carving up territory
Mapping new fibres and textile terrain would appear to come naturally to Finnish renewable fibre producer Spinnova. Testing its innovations commercially and at scale remains a task in hand, however. Outdoor brand adidas Terrex has sent a clear signal that it is ready to rise to the challenge.
Terrex, an adidas division that specialises in athletic outdoor apparel and shoes, is set to release a limited-edition mid-layer hoodie, the HS1, online and in selected stores from July. The unisex garment is the first harvest from adidas’ ongoing tie-up with Spinnova, after it became a cornerstone investor in the Finland-headquartered renewable fibre developer in 2021. Containing a minimum of 25% wood-based, mechanically ground Spinnova fibre, blended with organic cotton without the use of dyestuffs or chemical bleaching, the HS1 meshes well with the sports group’s sustainability strategy. Specifically, its “made with nature” link, which stipulates the use of at least some natural ingredients in every article.
Renewable and sustainable
Launched as a spin-off from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland in 2014, Spinnova has worked steadily to develop its technology for making textile fibres out of natural microfibrils from renewable raw materials such as paper-grade wood pulp or waste from leather, textile and food production. It produces fibre without the use of harmful chemicals; its process is zero-waste, generates no microplastics, minimal carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and is low in water consumption, the Finnish company claims. Co-founder and chief executive, Janne Poranen, tells WSA that its flagship textile fibre should not only be celebrated for its sustainable and circular qualities, however, but also for its “distinctive” performance properties and “natural” hand-feel, which he describes as being similar to cotton or linen. On Spinnova’s performance credentials, Mr Poranen singles out the fibre’s capacity for moisture management and thermal insulation.
In the case of the Terrex HS1 hoodie, the ratio of wood-based fibre used was in part influenced by the “still very limited” availability of its supply, the executive goes on to explain, although Spinnova fibre is typically blended with either cotton or wool as part of a process which involves tailoring the properties of the final fabric to best fit the desired application. As supply increases, the company plans to gradually expand its ratio to as much as 100% of a product’s fibre composition in the future, he states. Currently, Spinnova fibre is produced at the firm’s pilot factory in the university city of Jyväskylä in central Finland, and has been in operation since 2019. That this facility was able to jointly develop and complete the HS1 project alongside adidas only eight months after the partners first announced their collaboration is an outstanding result, according to Mr Poranen, as well as a “very important” part of Spinnova’s commercial journey.
For adidas, too, the HS1 hoodie represents a major step, says Terrex general manager, Carla Murphy. By allowing the brand to make “high-performance” gear with reduced CO2 emissions, low water usage and less waste, compared to conventional fibre production, the garment offers a way forward. Especially considering adidas’ very public ambition to create at least nine out of 10 articles through incorporating more sustainable technologies, materials, design or manufacturing processes by 2025. Though prior to the announcement of the HS1 in February, news from Terrex had been relatively muted since 2019, its clear alignment with the Finnish biomaterials developer underscores adidas’ commitment to achieving these goals on all fronts.
Scaling new heights
Another joint venture, this time between Spinnova and Brazilian pulp supplier Suzano, a leading producer of eucalyptus pulp and one of Latin America’s largest paper manufacturers, will be key to growing the former’s wood-based fibre supply. Under construction in Jyväskylä since last year, the partners’ commercial-scale Woodspin factory is expected to help Spinnova build an annual production capacity of one million tonnes of wood pulp-derived fibre for the textile industry by 2031, moving it closer to its goal of scaling to large volumes and providing a sustainable material that is competitively priced. The site, which is supported by local technology provider Valmet, is expected to be operational by the close of 2022.
Close-by, work will commence on an in-house yarn spinning facility which is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2023, Spinnova announced last month. It said at the time that this latest facility would enable “a fast turnaround of product development projects with multiple brand partners”, offering them fibre, yarn or fabric, depending on their needs. Switzerland-based short-staple fibre spinning machinery maker Rieter will be the producer’s main technology partner for the project. Meanwhile, pilot-scale production of another new material, Respin, created by Spinnova in collaboration with Swiss-based leather manufacturer KT Trading, began this past December. Respin uses wet blue shavings from tanneries to make a renewable yarn that can be woven or knitted into fabric for clothes, bags, shoes and other applications, with Danish footwear and leathergoods brand Ecco already set to be among the first to trial demo products made with the technology. Neither adidas nor Spinnova would be drawn on whether plans for their ongoing partnership currently include use of Respin.
Where all this will lead Spinnova (and adidas) is uncharted territory. Interest in the new materials market is intense, with agreements also in place with other high-profile activewear companies such as VF brands Icebreaker and The North Face, local sportswear firm Icepeak and international fashion groups H&M and Bestseller regarding supply of its wood-based fibre. Inspired by how spiders weave their webs and, to the company’s knowledge, able to be recycled again and again, securing access to Spinnova fibre is now a competitive endeavour and, as adidas has shown, one considered worthy of strategic investment. How far the HS1 hoodie, as well as the adidas-Spinnova link-up, can go in the commercial sense will be tested for the first time this summer when the product launches, but its reach may be limited by the current supply situation.
Partnering with adidas means that Spinnova fibres will step out from Jyväskylä and into the world.
Credit: adidas
