KOX brings wood-based textiles back to the forest

Jan, what drove KOX’s decision to switch up to wood-residue based textiles?

Jan Weh: “We had a clear goal of wanting to show the market what is possible at a premium level. Today’s high-end trousers have an edge through improved wearability and of course technical performance. Outer fabrics offering strength and low weight are key to ensuring customers have the best ergonomics for them to move freely and do their job in all weathers, and for meeting high European personal protection standards for chainsaw users.”

“When our fabric and garment manufacturers IBQ knew the priorities, they suggested Avient’s Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) bio-based Dyneema® fibre for key garment sections to elevate our offering. The fact that it is based on renewable rather than fossil carbon feedstock already made us take notice. It’s a great way for reducing fossil-based fibre use while retaining high performance. However, more than that, the possibility to complete the circle for our customers by using fibre based on wood from the pulp and timber industries gave added impetus to make this a reality. Having a background in forestry, I was even more intrigued and eager to learn more.”

“Forestry is very traditional in some aspects. Customers have trusted products and specific technical needs. But this opportunity felt like the logical step to pursue as we all consider options for more sustainable fabrics and clothing choices.”

Are you aware what emission savings your use of bio-based Dyneema^® is achieving?

Jan Weh: “It isn’t yet possible to make our protection pants from 100% bio-based textiles. But we’ll keep our eyes firmly on this as textile manufacturing moves forward. The bio-based Dyneema^® fibre used by IBQ has a carbon footprint 90% lower than equivalent generic HWPE fibres, ⁽¹ this is significant and we hope to be able to use more soon.”

Juha Rainio: “Reducing dependency on fossil raw materials in markets that have traditionally relied on them is a global challenge. In the case of Dyneema^® fibre utilised in the KOX trousers, Avient uses ethylene produced using our wood-residue based UPM BioVerno™ naphtha.  Every ton of our UPM BioVerno™ naphtha saves about 2.6 tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to fossil naphtha.^{(2 and 3} As more and more fibre, yarn and material manufacturers like Avient adopt this as an alternative to fossil oil for their materials, it can lead to a significant reduction of fossil resources in manufacturing value chains. The willingness of KOX and other textile industry brands to explore and expand their interest in alternative non-fossil solutions is very encouraging.”

UPM BioVerno™ is a wood-residue based solution. Why is this wood-based option so relevant for the evolution of textiles and also other markets?

Juha: “UPM BioVerno™ is produced from crude tall oil (CTO), a residue stream from pulping process that is not linked with the food or feed value chain. UPM developed CTO-based naphtha as a drop-in feedstock for the existing value chains with no change to formulation or product performance, only improved sustainability performance.”

“Manufacturers are able to track and apportion the amount of more sustainable raw material in their final products.⁽³ We are excited to be at the forefront in accelerating the sustainable transformation of materials and providing renewable alternatives to fossil-based solutions.”

Juha, UPM is at the start of the value chain, KOX at the other end. How closely do you generally work with brands?

Juha: “For us, it’s important to be relevant for all parties along the value chain so that we can support each individual transition. We’re working hard to increase our visibility with future-oriented companies so that we can create more sustainable business opportunities together. Collaboration is the way forward, as the future will call for a strong mix of bio-based, recycled and CO₂-based solutions as product circularity becomes ever more important.”

“We have already done several joint sustainability and communication collaborations with value chain partners and brands, and we are always happy to provide as much practical support as possible in bringing in our sustainability expertise. We see potential for UPM BioVerno™ naphtha in several markets. Packaging, consumer goods, textiles, electronics, construction and automotive to name a few.”

⁽¹ 100 % renewable electricity in addition to bio feedstock (UPM BioVerno naphtha derived ethylene) is used to produce bio-based Dyneema^® fibre. Please see https://www.dyneema.com/sustainability/bio-based-dyneema-fiber for further information.
⁽² From cradle to gate considering biogenic carbon from our feedstock.
⁽³ Mass balance approach is utilised when using UPM BioVerno naphtha as a raw material. Mass balance accounting is a well-known approach that has been designed to trace the flow of materials through a complex value chain. The mass balance approach provides a set of rules for how to allocate the bio-based and/or recycled content to different products to be able to claim and market the content as ‘bio’-based or ‘recycled’-based. Source: Ellen MacArthur Foundation (Mass Balance White Paper).

Click here for more information on the features of our renewable UPM BioVerno™ naphtha and the many ways it can be used to improve the sustainability performance of a wide range of products. 

Want to see where UPM BioVerno™ naphtha is produced - click here!

UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery has been producing UPM BioVerno naphtha from crude tall oil – a residue of pulp making process – since 2015.