Finland: Metsä Group’s latest life-cycle assessment shows that its sustainable wood-based textile fibre, Kuura, has a global warming potential significantly lower than viscose, lyocell, and cotton, positioning it as a competitive alternative in the textile market with strong environmental credentials.
Metsä Group, a prominent Finnish forest industry products specialist, has recently unveiled encouraging findings from its second life-cycle assessment (LCA) of Kuura, a sustainable wood-based textile fibre designed for the knitting sector. This assessment reveals that Kuura has a significantly lower global warming potential (GWP) compared to other commonly used fibres, marking it as a promising alternative to viscose.
The results indicated that Kuura’s GWP score is less than one-third that of viscose, which is noteworthy given the increasing scrutiny surrounding the environmental impact of textile production. Kuura is derived from sustainably managed pine and spruce sourced from Finnish forests, which have experienced substantial growth since 1970, thus functioning as a vital carbon sink.
This latest assessment was carried out by Etteplan and reviewed by the Research Institutes of Sweden, further solidifying the credibility of the findings. Metsä Group previously conducted its first LCA in 2021, which established that Kuura had the least climate impact when compared to other commercial man-made cellulosic fibres, including lyocell and cotton.
In this recent evaluation, it was reported that Kuura’s GWP is approximately one-fourth of that of cotton fibre and over 80% lower than that of lyocell, its closest commercial counterpart. Niklas von Weymarn, CEO of Metsä Spring, the subsidiary currently spearheading the fibre’s development, expressed optimism regarding the results. Speaking to the Knitting Trade Journal, he stated, “Metsä Group aims to introduce a new textile fibre product to the market that would be competitive on many different metrics. Environmental impacts, and in particular the potential to mitigate climate change, are one key metric. We are very pleased that our new assessment with external experts shows that our chosen concept has great potential. This will give impetus to further development.”
Currently, the production process of Kuura is being honed at a greenfield demo plant located in Äänekoski, Finland, which has a nominal capacity of approximately one tonne per day. Upon reaching the commercial stage, Kuura will be produced at one of Metsä’s existing pulp facilities, all of which are powered entirely by renewable energy sources.
In addition to its environmental credentials, Kuura has received recognition from Canadian environmental organisation Canopy, which awarded the product a ‘Green Shirt’ rating for its transparent supply chain and traceable raw materials. The positive developments surrounding Kuura signify a commitment from Metsä Group to innovate sustainably within the textile industry, combining ecological responsibility with market viability.
Source: Noah Wire Services
