More than 200 participants representing 26 countries took part in the 1st International Conference on Cellulose Fibers in Cologne, Germany. The aim of the Conference was to celebrate the continued growth within the textiles market.
Cellulose fibers, which are the fastest-growing group within the textile industry, now account for 6% of the world market. The conference was based on the theme of entire value chain, from feedstocks through finished products, including cellulose fibers such as rayon, viscose, modal and lyocell and its woven and non-woven applications.
Nova-institute, a private and independent research institute that organized the conference, said high growth rates for cellulose fibers are driven by the demand for natural fibers, the microplastics problem and the possible bans of plastic fibers. The focus of the conference was on markets, technologies and sustainability, along with alternative cellulose feedstocks.
“There are many exciting developments going on, like textile recycling and new technologies and applications,” said Josef Innerlohinger, Head of Global R&D at Lenzing, “and there is a growing demand for sustainable fibers made from renewable materials. So, I see a huge potential for cellulose fibers in various fields. But there are also some potential obstacles, which may hinder developments, where a strong cooperation is needed to overcome these topics.”
Sustainability was a major topic, with cellulose fibers’ lower environmental impact vs. petrochemical fibers or cotton highlighted. The conference was sponsored by Bozzetto, Lenzing and Sateri as gold sponsors, with additional sponsorship from LEVACO Chemicals, NC Partnering and Stora Enso.
