Finnish designer, Rolf Ekroth, premiered the first fashion collection made from Bio2 Textile – a new straw-based textile fiber developed by Fortum Bio2X.
Bio2X aims to produce high-value products from agro-residues and woody biomass to replace fossil and other environmentally detrimental raw materials, using the ‘fractionation’ technologies developed by biorefining technology company Chempolis, of Oulu, Finland.
Ekroth said, “The fabric made of Bio2 is amazing. It looks good and feels comfortable.
Finnish fiber innovations will contribute to the fashion industry becoming more responsible and environmentally friendly.”
In developing countries, agricultural waste is typically burned in the fields causing local pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. This waste can be turned into valuable products while reducing pollution and increasing welfare. In fractionation, biomass is separated into lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose with high yields and purities. The fractions have more advantageous properties in further product manufacturing than those from traditional pulp and biofuel processes.
These fractions can be used to replace fossil-derived raw materials in many industrial and consumer sectors.
Heli Antila, CTO of Fortum, said,
“With the Bio2x program we are investigating new business opportunities with fractioning-based technologies and end-products of the process. We believe that valuable end-products can be produced from biomass and used in place of fossil or other less sustainable raw materials.
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