Stockholm University researchers have developed an innovative method to produce textiles with reduced environmental impact by utilizing forestry residues and textile waste instead of conventional cotton and polycotton materials.
The process begins by converting forest waste — including tree tops, branches, and infected shoots — into high-quality textile fibers through chemical extraction. These plant fibers are then spun into lyocell fiber in collaboration with an industrial partner.
The second phase involves enhancing the lyocell fibers using nanosized cellulose particles extracted from textile waste. This nanocellulose coating is applied to improve the fibers mechanical strength and functionality, increasing their durability and usability.
According to Professor Aji Mathew of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, “Cotton itself is a very good material and everyone wants to use it, but it has a heavy environmental impact because growing it requires a lot of water and a lot of land.”
The research is being conducted with Region Stockholm to identify alternatives for healthcare textiles currently made from cotton and polycotton. The team hopes that a full life cycle assessment will demonstrate the potential to reduce these conventional material uses by approximately 50 percent.