Stockholm University researchers have secured nearly 5 million euros in EU funding for an ambitious four-year project launching in 2023. The BIO-Lush consortium, spearheaded by Professor Aji Mathew from the Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, aims to develop sustainable fibers from unconventional biomass sources.
The interdisciplinary team includes collaborators Joseph Samec (organic chemistry) and Edouard Pesquet (DEEP), alongside four research institutes, four major industrial partners, and three small-to-medium enterprises.
The initiative targets “waste” materials including forest residues, marine plants, and weeds. By extracting and refining fibers from these sources, researchers plan to create consumer products such as textiles, food packaging, and reinforced composites ready for commercial markets.
The raw materials will source from marginal and rural EU regions, supporting economic revitalization of areas facing desertification and socio-economic challenges while strengthening Europe’s bio-based fiber economy.