S2T - Straw To Textile

Important results from the project

The project demonstrated that wheat straw can be converted into high-quality cellulose for sustainable textile production and provided key insights into process requirements and limitations. Significant technical advances were made, including in the reduction of ash and silicon. The project also contributed to increased knowledge about raw material availability, created new industrial contacts and laid a solid foundation for the continued development of sustainable, bio-based textile materials.

Expected long term effects

The project is expected to contribute to long-term effects by strengthening the possibility of using agricultural residues as a raw material for high-value textile materials. The results reduce technical and market risks, support the development of new bio-based value chains and can ultimately contribute to reducing the climate impact of the textile industry. The project also creates the conditions for continued innovation, investments and industrial scale-up within the Swedish bioeconomy.

Approach and implementation

The project was carried out in close collaboration between actors along the entire value chain, from raw material supply to textile applications. The work followed a planned structure with processing of wheat straw into dissolving pulp, followed by evaluation. During the course of the project, technical challenges were identified, which led to adjustments to the approach. In parallel, alternative process and application routes were investigated to ensure that the hypothesis was answered.