Finnish fiber innovator, Spinnova, has agreed to build an industrial-scale spinning facility at its new factory in Finland with Swiss machinery maker Rieter. Rieter will implement a comprehensive system at Spinnova's plant in Jyväskylä, Finland, by the end of 2022, following early experiments at its SpinCenter in Winterthur, Switzerland.

Spinnova will be able to expedite its commercial textile development, boost brand alliances, and expand it’s market entrance possibilities thanks to the industrial-scale spinning plant.

Spinnova's sustainably produced raw material is made from the same wood pulp that is used to make paper, building on Finland's long experience in the paper industry. The company is also looking at exploring other sustainable sources for fiber production, including leather and agricultural waste.

In contrast to viscose, which is also a wood-based fiber, Spinnova's technique uses a mechanical method in which the fibers are formed by extruding the pulp through a nozzle and requires no toxic chemicals. In addition, when compared to traditional viscose fiber production processes, the process uses 99% less water and produces low carbon emissions.

Rieter will continue to work with Spinnova to define the material attributes needed to generate a wood-based fiber that can be spun into a yarn with the desired textile capabilities.

A whole set of Rieter machines makes up the spinning line. On its approach to becoming a 100% wood-based yarn, the UNIblend A 81 will start with a 70% cotton and 30% wood-based fiber combination.

Janne Poranen, Spinnova’s CEO and co-founder, said that having a spinning facility close by will make a tremendous difference in their commercial phase. They can conduct experiments quickly, without wasting time, and test smaller batches than before. With their wood-based Spinnova fiber, this will considerably improve textile R&D.

Trials with the G 38 ring spinning machine in the lab have already yielded encouraging results. The G 38 is totally adaptable in creating both high-quality ring and compact yarns with its COMPACTdrum compacting device. Spinnova can simply transition between ring yarn and compact yarn production thanks to the compacting device, which is connected to the Autoconer X6automatic winder.

The fully autonomous R 70 rotor spinning machine, which is noted for its productivity, excellent raw material utilization, and low energy usage, can simultaneously manufacture up to four different yarn types, which will be crucial as the trials progress.

Rieter's solution is well suited to assist Spinnova to attain disruptive circularity because it is around 20% more energy-efficient than lines composed of machines from various suppliers, lowering carbon emissions.