Next Gen Solutions Providers
Saving forests by providing solutions
This list contains names and contact information for innovator companies that have a Canopy policy, and that have developed technologies and processes that enable the production of man-made cellulosic fibre (MMCF), paper, and packaging from fibres that are an alternative to wood-based feedstock.
Canopy has crafted this directory as a tool to support purchasers of forest products in their search for Next Generation Solutions with a lower environmental footprint.
Commercially Available MMCF
The following producers offer MMCF in commercial quantities. Note that some producers offer multiple products under different brand names!
In 2019, Tangshan Sanyou, a viscose producer, became an early adopter of Next Generation MMCF solutions by introducing ReVisco, a viscose staple fibre made from 50% post-consumer recycled content dissolving pulp supplied by Renewcell. The company had to adapt their technology to successfully run the post-consumer recycled fibre. ReVisco is now made with both Circulose®️ and Sodra’s Once More fibres, at a blend of 30-50%, and has retrofitted their production lines to produce higher volumes over time. Sanyou has Dark Green Shirt in the Canopy’s Hot Button Report.
Mill, Product Available
Url: http://www.sanyouchem.com/products/
Email: Sixiangjia1998@163.com
The Liva Reviva line, by Birla Cellulose, is their circular viscose fibre line using 30% industrial fabric (pre-consumer cotton) waste as well as post-consumer cotton waste provided by Circulose®️. Their goal it to continue innovating their process to increase the recycled content of the fibre to 50%, as well as integrate other Next Generation feedstocks into their products. Birla Cellulose has a Dark Green Shirt in Canopy’s Hot Button Report.
Mill, Product Available
Lenzing has developed and scaled REFIBRA™ technology post-consumer recycled cotton waste into its ECOVERO™ branded viscose fibres. ECOVERO™ x REFIBRA™ currently contains 20% recycled content. Lenzing’s five-year vision is to raise the industry bar by producing fibers with REFIBRA™ technology by having up to 50% recycled content. Lenzing has partnered with Sodra’s Once More to achieve this vision. Lenzing has a Dark Green Shirt in Canopy’s Hot Button Report.
Mill, Product Available
Url: https://lenzing.com
Email: fibers@lenzing.com
Phone: +43 (0) 7672 701-0
Xinxiang Chemical Fibre produces a viscose filament yarn with 20% post-consumer recycled content provide by Sodra’s Once More. The product, called Bailu-Eco, first launched with 5% recycled content but the company has increased this over time. Xinxiang Chemical has also developed a new feedstock - Juncao fibre – which it has integrated into its main production line and has begun producing at commercial scale. Xinxiang Chemical has a Dark Green Shirt in Canopy’s Hot Button Report.
Mill, Product Available
Url: http://bailuhuaxian.texindex.com/
Email: liusl_ej@bailu.cn
Yibin Hiest Fiber Limited Corporation, a subsidiary of Yibin Grace Group Co., LTD, based in China, has two Next Gen MMCF lines under the name Regracell®️. It produces a viscose filament yarn with 30 Circulose®️ pulp, and a viscose staple fibre with 50%. Circulose®️. Both are blended with FSC certified wood inputs. Yibin will continue focusing on reducing its carbon footprint and accelerating progress toward the ambitious goal of making fashion a closed loop. Yibin Grace has a Dark Green Shirt in Canopy’s Hot Button Report.
Mill, Product Available
Url: https://www.cn-grace.com/
Email: Janey@cn-grace.com
Phone: +86 (0) 18784638513
Jilin Chemical Fiber Stock Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Jilin Chemical Fiber Group Co., Ltd. based in China, produces a branded viscose filament yarn called Jirecell, which is made from 30% CIRCULOSE® recycled pulp, and blended with 70% FSC certified wood inputs. Jilin is planning to increase the Circulose®️ percentage to 50-100% throughout the research and production process. Jilin has a Dark Green Shirt in Canopy’s Hot Button Report.
Mill, Product Available
Url: https://www.jlhxjt.com/
Email: jlhx-sh@vip.163.com
Bast Fibre Technologies Inc. is a regenerative material systems company addressing the sustainable materials gap in the global fabrics industry. BFT is committed to accelerate the fabric industry's transition beyond sustainability through its Sero™️ natural performance fibre brand. Sero™️ fibre, an intact plant fibre and next-gen material, embodies the climate-plus philosophy, providing tangible benefits for soils, communities, and ecosystems while leading the movement for accessible regenerative products. To facilitate the regenerative movement, BFT has developed a responsible manufacturing platform that leverages brownfield production facilities to deliver a scalable and capital-efficient solution.
Mill, Technology, Product Available, Seeking Investment
Url: https://bastfibretech.com/
Email: info@bastfibretech.com
Phone: 1.778.600.1242
Commercially Available MMCF PULP
The following companies offer pulp for MMCF in commercial quantities
Circulose, formerly known as Renewcell, is a recycler owned by Altor Equity Partners producing a dissolving pulp made with 100% recycled textiles. With a patented technology, the recycling process turns cotton-rich unused textiles into a viscose grade dissolving pulp, branded as CIRCULOSE®.
CIRCULOSE® is a Next Gen material made of 100% recycled textile waste that is recyclable and is replacing virgin materials typically derived from wood pulp while keeping their outstanding properties. CIRCULOSE® is currently available at retail with leading apparel brands including H&M, Levi’s, Calvin Klein, GANNI, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, Cos, Triarchy, and many others.
In late 2022, Circulose opened an industrial scale mill in Sundsvall, Sweden, which runs entirely on renewable energy and was awarded RCS 100 certification in June 2023 with a production capacity of 60,000 mt of CIRCULOSE®. In July 2023, the CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network was launched to facilitate the accessibility of textiles made with CIRCULOSE® and connect suppliers with brands for continuous programs.
Mill, Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://rhttps://circulo.se/en/
Email: Commercial@circulose.com
Innovators — MMCF
The following companies are developing innovative pulping tech for MMCF but do not yet have commercially available products – Ask us about how trials, capsules, and other collaborations can help bring them to commercial scale!
Circ is on a mission to power the clean closet with patented technology that recycles global fashion waste back into textiles. Using its patented hydrothermal process, Circ is able to recover the raw materials from polycotton blends, creating textile-to-textile recycled Circ Lyocell and Circ Polyester. Circ’s lyocell is regenerated cellulose from textile waste, creating staple & filament fibers that match (or exceed) the quality of virgin, tree-based lyocell. Our drop-in ready ingredients are seamlessly useable for fabricating beautiful, functional textiles.
Technology, Product Available, Seeking Investment
Url: https://circ.earth/
Email: info@circ.earth
Circular Systems is a materials science company, focused on the development of innovative circular and regenerative technologies, transforming waste into valuable fibre, yarn, and textile fabrics for the fashion industry. Their waste-to-fibre platforms Texloop™ Recycling and Agraloop™ Bio-refinery, combined with their proprietary Orbital™ Hybrid Yarn technology, allow them to offer break-through solutions for the most efficient management of textile/apparel and agricultural waste streams.
Technology, Seeking investment
Davey Textile Solutions Inc. (DTS) is a manufacturer of high-visibility and flame-resistant retroreflective trim used in various protective garment applications. DTS is scaling a process for the utilization of hemp and other waste agricultural biomass towards manufacturing of lyocell that uses significantly less energy, water and chemical inputs compared to conventional processes. The dissolving pulps produced from hemp bast and hurd enable the creation of yarns with enhanced organoleptic and technical performance. Utilizing locally grown hemp as a feedstock allows DTS to offer the first domestic source of lyocell fibre in Canada. Lyocell fibre developed by DTS will be sold under its Zylotex brand.
Technology, Seeking Investment
URL: https://daveytextiles.com/ ; https://zylotex.ca/
Email: sales@daveytextiles.com
Phone: 1-888-484-4888
Evrnu is an advanced materials company and inventor of the Nucycl technology. Our first product, Nucycl lyocell fiber, is made from 100% pre and postconsumer textile waste and is recyclable, biodegradable and compostable. The Nucycl process can be used to recycle cotton and cotton/poly blends into new regenerative fiber, paving the path for a more sustainable textile industry.
Technology, Seeking Investment, Product Available
Url: https://www.evrnu.com/
Email: info@evrnu.com
Phone: 206.466.5269
HeiQ AeoniQ™ is a cellulosic filament yarn, manufactured through an innovative proprietary process with a uniquely low environmental footprint. Using pre and postconsumer textile waste, non-valorized agricultural waste and bacteria cellulose (feedstock strategy) as raw material, textiles made of HeiQ AeoniQ™ do not require agricultural land, pesticide, or fertilizer. The yarn can be adapted for applications in fashion & performance, home textiles, automotive and technical applications. It can be recycled and is fully biodegradable (end of lifecycle).
Mill, Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: www.heiq-aeoniq.com
Email: aeoniq@heiq.com
Phone: +41 56 250 6851, +41 56 250 6850
IDEPS GmbH, is an Austria-based developer of innovative solutions for textiles. The company has patented a technology that allows efficient recycling of organic fabrics, separating fibers in mixed fabrics (polycotton), and bleaching without the use of harmful chemicals. Unlike other chemical recycling methods used, it does not contain enzymes and acids and does not require special conditions. It allows obtaining of cellulosic mass from old textiles without additional energy consumption.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://www.ideps.at
Email: Oswald.brandstetter@ideps.at
Phone: +43 6991 925 4274
Infinited Fiber Company is a Finnish technology and fashion company with a patented technology that turns cotton-rich textile waste, such as worn-out t-shirts, jeans, or production scraps into Infinna™, a virgin-quality, versatile textile fiber with the natural and soft look and feel like cotton. Infinna™ is biodegradable, contains no microplastics, and at the end of their life, garments made with it can be recycled in the same process together with other textile waste, enabling textile circularity.
Mill, Technology, Seeking Investment, Product Available
URL: https://infinitedfiber.com/
Email: contact@infinitedfiber.com
Phone: + 358 (0)29 300 0920
Nanollose, based in Australia, is a biotechnology company that is developing a process to repurpose liquid waste from food and beverage industries to produce microbial cellulose that is then regenerated into their Nullarbor fibre. The Nanollose technology has been designed to be compatible and implemented into existing manufacturing equipment that produces cellulosic based fibre. They have successfully made fibre, fabric and a garment using their technology and are focused on developing a supply chain ecosystem and initial commercial offerings.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://nanollose.com/
Email: info@nanollose.com
Phone: +61 8 9389 3120
Nordic Bioproducts Group (NBG) is advancing the future of textiles with its patented Aaltocell™ technology, enabling the production of high-value biomaterials derived from cellulose. NBG's approach presents a pathway to a cost-effective and environmentally sound alternative for creating textile fibers from agricultural residues like wheat straw, without reliance on harmful chemicals. In addition, NBG has pioneered a polycotton recycling process that combines chemical and mechanical separation to repurpose cotton and polyester fibers for new applications. NBG's fibers demonstrate potential for transforming textile waste into circular solutions across textile, packaging, and composite materials. NBG’s vision is to scale this technology and collaborate with commercial partners to bring these sustainable innovations to market.
Technology, Seeking Investment
URL: https://nordicbioproducts.fi
Email: info@nbg.fi
Ponda is a biomaterials company developing novel textiles from natural regenerative fibres. Based in the UK, Ponda partners with farmers and conservation groups to regenerate wetlands. They have patented a fibre extraction method to harness the seed head fibre, transforming it into a valuable insulation material for the textile industry. Ponda’s biomaterials will create a net-reduction in carbon production, provide space for biodiversity to be protected and enhanced, mitigate flood risk through natural flood management, amongst other benefits.
URL: https://www.ponda.bio/
Contact: https://www.ponda.bio/#contact
RBX Créations, based in France, has created a patented technology to obtain Iroony® pulp from agricultural feedstocks, which is suitable for applications in textile fibres (filaments and staple fibers) and packaging materials. The preferred biomass is hemp, due to its many environmental benefits, possibly used in combination with other plants such as miscanthus, flax or nettle. The sourcing is done directly with farming groups.
Technology, Seeking Investment, Product in EcoPaper Database
URL: https://www.iroony.net/
Email: anne.reboux@iroony.net
Phone: +33651345529
Rubi is creating a new way of manufacturing that exists in harmony with the planet. Inspired by how trees grow, the company uses biochemical processes powered by enzymes to turn industrial CO₂ emissions into drop-in cellulose pulp to replace trees as an input in man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCFs) and textiles. Rubi was founded by two twin sisters and scientists, Neeka Mashouf and Leila Mashouf, who grew up fascinated by nature, and ultimately teamed in 2021 to re-invent global supply chains with a proprietary biomanufacturing technology that is inherently planet positive. To learn more, visit www.rubi.earth.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://www.rubi.earth/
Email: hello@rubi.earth
Spinnova, based in Finland, and inspired by the way a spider makes its web, has developed a unique mechanical process to create textile fibre from agricultural fibres like wheat straw and other cellulose biomass with minimal water use, low C02 emissions and zero waste, while not using any harmful chemicals. And there is no dissolving or regeneration involved. The resulting spinning-ready fibre can also be upcycled again into new high-quality textiles in the Spinnova process without dissolving or harmful chemicals or adding fresh fibres. The company is seeking financing options to speed growth and scale.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://spinnova.com/
Email: INFO@SPINNOVA.COM
The Hurd Co., based in the USA, makes agriwaste-based clothing possible with agrilose® - a drop-in, same-price replacement for standard wood pulp that manufacturers use to make lyocell or viscose/rayon fabric. The Hurd Co’s patented, zero-emission process uses 50% less water and 90% less energy than the conventional pulp process: environmental savings that add up to a significant reduction in manufacturing costs.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://thehurdco.com/
Email: hello@thehurdco.com
Worn Again Technologies is a technology licensing company focussed on solving the challenge of converting polycotton blended textiles back into circular raw materials. Their solvent-based recycling approach is able to separate, decontaminate and extract Circular Polyester and Next Generation Cellulose from end-of-life textiles. These products can be used to substitute virgin raw materials in fibre production, creating a fibre-to-fibre recycling solution. They are also developing open-loop recycling options, whereby the PET & cellulose products may be used in sustainable packaging applications or injection moulded into technical parts. This will create a win-win, where plant operators can extract maximum value and environmental benefit from the technology platform. Worn Again is commercializing its technology by constructing recycling plants that can demonstrate the process at an industrial scale and attract licensee plant operators.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://wornagain.co.uk/
Email: info@wornagain.co.uk
Innovators — Paper & Packaging
The following companies are developing innovative pulping tech for Paper and Packaging. Where these companies have commercially available pulp, paper or packaging product, it’s indicated with “Product in EcoPaper Database’ in their profile.
Craste, based in India, is working to scale the production of agricultural waste pulp for packaging products in order to address the pollution from crop burning. Craste’s packaging products are made from an innovative process that ensures less water consumption and Zero Level Discharge (ZLD) from the pulping unit.
Seeking Investment, Product in EcoPaper Database
Url: https://craste.co/contact/
Email: ajith@craste.co
Phone: +91 9538998384
Fibers365 GmbH, based in Germany, offers carbon-negative fibers and substrates for paper and packaging, using an exclusive, chemical-free pulping technology for straw and other cellulosic non-wood biomass, such as miscanthus, rye grass, hemp, flax, banana stems, tomato stems, bagasse, and grapevine stems. By focusing on annual plants, with all relevant biogenic emissions in production and consumption compensated within one year, Fibers365 provides a viable and ecological alternative to fibers from wood biomass, too often originating from deforestation, forest degradation, or monoculture wood plantations. Their decentralized concept allows for pulped biomass without producing chemical waste streams usually associated with sulfite and sulfate pulping; a way to close supply chain and circular nutrient loops at the farm level; and offers competitive pricing for the resulting pulp. They are seeking strategic partners for global rollout.
Product in EcoPaper Database
Url: https://fibers365.com/
Email: sr@fibers365.com
Phone: 49 170 90 20 164
GreenKey LLC is a technology company formed to advance the development of sustainable solutions for replacing products and packaging materials made from plastics and other high footprint sources with alternative cellulose fibers such as agricultural residues. Unlike conventional pulping operations, the GreenKey process requires no heat, no harsh chemicals, and eliminates effluent. GreenKey provides a lab to test their pulp in a variety of applications and can install their 'drop-in' technology and machinery at new or existing facilities.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: http://greenkey-group.com/
Email: jake.cahill@greenkey-group.com
Phone: 561.398.8454
Genera’s mill in Vonore, Tennessee has over 100 ton per day capacity to process regenerative grass into sustainable fiber for packaging and paper-based applications.
Mill, Product in EcoPaper Database
URL: https://generainc.com/
Contact: https://generainc.com/contact/
Nafici Environmental Research, based in the UK, has developed and patented EcoPulping, an innovative low carbon process that converts wheat straw and other agricultural wastes into unbleached pulp for use in paper and packaging. EcoPulping uses much less energy and water than conventional pulping methods and is economic even at small scale. This means that production plants can be developed close to packaging mills, many of which are looking for cost competitive and sustainable alternative sources of fibre. NER is starting to license their technology and the first commercial EcoPulping plant is under construction in China. They have already tested wheat and rice straw, reed, date palm leaves, corn stover, cotton stems and more. Prior to licensing, they carry out feasibility studies in a UK pilot plant for clients who want to use new or similar raw materials, before designing an EcoPulping plant to meet their specific needs.
Mill, Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://www.nafici-research.com/contact-us/
Phone: +44 (0) 1444 400 476
Notpla, based in Europe, is a sustainable packaging start-up creating advanced packaging solutions from seaweed and other natural materials as an alternative to single-use plastic. Their paper-based packaging solution blends seaweed residue from their production processes with recycled content.
Seeking Investment, Product in EcoPaper Database
Url: https://www.notpla.com/
Email: margaux@notpla.com
Phone: +447810500230
Pakka, based in India, with distribution in the USA, creates sustainable food packaging with agri-residue.
Mill, Product in EcoPaper Database
URL: https://pakka.com/
Phone: +91-78000-08275
Email: connect@yashpakka.com
Palouse Fiber Packaging is a pioneer in the molded pulp industry, offering high-quality and affordable, customizable wheat-straw based alternative fibre packaging products to customers in the Pacific Northwest.
Mill, Product in EcoPaper Database, Seeking Investment
URL: https://palousefiberpackaging.com/
Contact: https://palousefiberpackaging.com/contact
PureHemp, a Colorado-based innovation company, is scaling up its advanced continuous countercurrent reactor (CCR) technologies that rapidly convert hemp stalks and other cellulosic biomass into pulp, lignin, and sugars to produce many biobased products. The primary product generated by PureHemp’s CCR is a cellulose-rich pulp used to manufacture a variety of paper products. The company business model emphasizes value-added agriculture, whole plant utilization, and rapid biorefinery scale-up and deployment. The company has also developed a decortication technology and is actively involved with manufacturing products from hemp hurd and bast fiber, including hempcrete, biochar, graphite and graphene.
Technology, Seeking Investment, Product in EcoPaper Database
Url: https://purehemptech.com/
Email: Ed@purehemptech.com
Phone: 303-857-4530
Releaf Technologies is a research and cellulose production enterprise in the Ukraine that is creating and scaling a low footprint and low water use pulping technology designed to process urban wastes (fallen leaves) and agricultural fibres into pulp for paper and packaging. They plan to have the technology available to scale on each major continent.
Technology, Seeking Investment, Product in EcoPaper Database
Url: https://releaf-paper.com/contacts
Email: info@releaf-paper.com
Phone: +38 096 150 0651
ReStalk is a US-based startup implementing regenerative solutions by transforming agricultural residues into valuable pulp and packaging products, while offering a better alternative to burning or disposing of bio-waste in a landfill. ReStalk has aligned its efforts with larger scale cultivators, businesses, local, state, and federal officials to implement their vision of a greener hemp industry. The patented pulp process employed uses a fraction of the water and none of the toxic chemicals associated with traditional pulping.
Seeking Investment, Product in EcoPaper Database
Url: https://www.restalk.org
Email: info@restalk.org
Innovators — Feedstock Processing and Other Solutions
The following companies are working on feedstock aggregation and preparation technologies, prior to pulping, or offer other innovative services.
9FIBER's disruptive, eco-friendly patented technology creates sustainable, engineered, organic long and short fiber material inputs from hemp-derived agri-waste, thereby reducing/replacing petroleum and timber-based materials in products across a wide range of markets. Open to licensing or IP acquisition conversations.
Technology
Url: https://www.9fiber.com/about
Email: info@9fiber.com
BlockTexx® is leading a global movement towards a circular economy for their customers and production partners by developing ‘separation of fiber technology’ that divert textile waste from landfill and into sustainable products.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: https://bastcore.com/
Email: austin@bastcore.com
Phone: 205-332-1484
Fiber-X is a research and development production center in Finland focused on developing textile yarn, packaging and other products using agricultural residues, in order to mitigate the climate impacts of crop burning and extensive water consumption associated with cotton production. Fiber-X is looking for global partners to scale their next generation concepts.
Technology, Seeking Investment
Url: http://www.fiber-x.fi/
Email: mikko.ruuska@fiber-x.fi
Phone: +358 45 328 2002
Tensei is a licensing based materials science company, focusing on helping businesses to develop new products primarily from annual crop waste , food biowaste such as husks, skins and pips and perennial plants. Tensei can license their formulations for new papers or plastic reduction alternatives or develop new materials to a client brief. It has the necessary tools and partners to then scale the materials to take to market. Diverse products developed to date from alternative agricultural fibres include specialty papers for laminates and food packaging and moulded components for furniture and other markets. Furthermore, Tensei is working with companies to help them to generate value from their own bio-waste streams which in turn could also be added into Tensei pulp fibre supply chain.
Seeking Investment
Url: http://www.tensei.co.uk/
Email: info@tensei.co.uk
If your company has an innovative, low-footprint technology that provides a recycled or forest-free alternative for dissolving pulp, viscose or rayon, or forest-free alternative for paper and packaging, contact Canopy to join our cadre of Next Generation Solution providers.
nextgensolutions@canopyplanet.org
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