Ahlstrom-Munksjö, a global leader in fiber-based materials, has for the past years cooperated to develop a recyclable textile material made from locally sourced wood fiber.
The goal of the Establishing locally grown textiles in Sweden (ENTIS) project has been to establish conditions for a more sustainable textile industry through a series of innovative cross-industry solutions.
Textiles made from wood fiber already exist, but what made this project unique was that it also assessed the possibility of recycling the material and challenged existing production and recycling technologies to achieve a circular flow. The new textile that was developed can be used in the textile, interior design and furniture industries.
The dress which ceremony master Andrea Montano Montes will wear at this year's Nobel Banquet in Stockholm
on 10 December is an example of the results achieved in the cross-industry collaboration. The project has brought together companies in the Swedish paper and textile industries to produce textiles using raw materials from the pulp industry. The dress has been produced by Svenskt Konstsilke.
"Ahlstrom-Munksjö is a global leader in fiber-based materials and we wanted - at one of Sweden's most high-profile events - to highlight the sustainability aspect in our own industry. Industries such as fashion and interior design face the challenge of producing fabrics for a growing population while at the same time reducing their impact on the environment. This requires a focus on innovation and circularity, and on cross-industry collaboration to build a more sustainable future", says Anna Bergquist, Vice President for business unit Insulation at Ahlstrom-Munksjö.
"The fabric has been made from the same raw material as our electrotechnical insulation papers. The project will open up further interesting research and development opportunities for us, and we are happy that this collaboration has led to a new product launch by Svenskt Konstsilke. We are now exploring the possibility of a commercial launch for the furniture and interior design industries".
Contacts at Ahlstrom-Munksjö:
Anna Bergquist, VP Insulation Business Unit, mob. +46 (0)70 338 03 16, e-mail: anna.bergquist@ahlstrom-munksjo.com
Laura Lindholm, Media Relations Manager, mob. +46 (0)72 703 63 36, e-mail: media@ahlstrom-munksjo.com
Contact at Svenskt Konstsilke:
Urban Olsson, CEO Svenskt Konstsilke, mob. +46 (0) 70 620 54 02, e-mail: urban.olsson@sks-textile.com
ATTACHMENT: A photo of the dress is available in Ahlstrom-Munksjö's media bank (https://ahlstrom-munksjo.getbynder.com/web/01d0863327e89007/am-media-collection-/)