Swedish textile recycling innovator Re:newcell has joined hands with Chinese viscose manufacturer Tangshan Sanyou to develop a viscose staple fibre made out of 50% post-consumer recycled cotton. This innovation is supported by environmental not-for-profit CanopyStyle.
The remaining 50% of the fibre is made from FSC COC (Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody) wood pulp which is audited by Canopy, yielding what the organisation’s founder and executive director, Nicole Rycroft, describes as “an important leap forward for the global textile and fashion industries”.
This coincides with Re:newcell closing an oversubscribed investment round of US$5 million which it can now leverage in scaling up its core competencies to meet greater demand. Swedish fashion brand KappAhl joins the likes of H&M as a joint shareholder in the firm; perhaps indicative of how Re:newcell and Tangshan will look to enter commercial markets.
