Network: FiberTies – The use of fibrous materials from biomass
Main applicant: Anne Christine Steenkjaer Hastrup
The SNS–NKJ network FiberTies wants to contribute to the transition to a sustainable society by creating contact between universities, research institutes and industry. All the new knowledge that comes out of research has to be of practical use.
The focus of the network FiberTies is to implement knowledge on the use, recycling and reuse of fibrous biomass for industrial application and future products. Anne Christine Steenkjaer Hastrup, team manager at the Danish Technological Institute, hopes that contact between players from sectors representing the whole value-chain of biomass production, processing, design, fiber modification and product manufacturing can lead to an optimized use of resources. An understanding of the streams of resources, the amount of that resources and what they could be used for in the future is the key to ensure optimal properties and a feasible business model.
– We want to create synergies and collaborations between sectors that can facilitate increased awareness about the applications and possibilities in biobased materials thereby boosting innovation and sustainable production, she says.
Circular economy
FiberTies works with bio based fibers and by-products from farming and food production but also with fibers from textile production. By taking care of side streams from different kind of industries it will be possible to make the economy circular for a lot of products and to use and re-use the resources.
The resources should be used in a sustainable way and the process of doing so must be economically acceptable. The different links in that chain – from innovation to market –needs to understand each other and to interact to make the best out of it and to see the opportunities.
Symposium and project meeting
This autumn the network FiberTies will arrange a symposium in Denmark with lectures and demonstrations of materials. It will be open for everybody interested in the matter.
There will also be a project meeting held in Finland with all the participants of the network.
– This is arranged to increase the synergies and cooperation throughout the Nordic countries for the use of fibers and to create new markets through the participants.
Visit the site
If you are interested in fibers and the usage of them, you can visit the website www.fiberties.dk for more information.
These are the partners in FiberTies:
Materials science, composites, biobased fibers
DTI (Denmark, main applicant)
VTT (Finland, applicant)
RISE (Sweden, applicant)
Technical University of Denmark, DTU (Denmark)
University of Copenhagen, KU (Denmark)
The BioComposites Centre (United Kingdom) – RTO within natural fibers and fiber composites
Fibers and textiles
Swerea (Sweden)
Design and material application
Copenhagen School of Design and Technology, KEA (Denmark)
Biomass and bioprocessing
Norges Miljø- og Biovitenskabelige Universitet (NMBU) (Norway)
Interested
LCH Industrial Ecology Ltd (United Kingdom) – Consultancy on natural fiber composites as well as life cycle assessment
DJ Timber Consultancy Ltd (United Kingdom) – Business development within wood & fiber modification and composite manufacture
VELUX A/S (Denmark) –Market leading producer of windows and window frames. Interest in thermoplastics and thermoplastic composites
Jena Trading (Denmark) – Experts on biorefining & straw processing including production of specialized fibers
Tretorget AS (Norway) – Cluster organization with focus on driving innovation within wood and forest based industries
Metsä Fibre Oy (Finland) – Producer of wood-based pulp and other bioproducts. Currently developing conversion process for pulp to textiles.
REALLY ApS (Denmark) – Development of sustainable fiber boards from biobased fiber waste e.g. textile fibers
Stora Enso (Sweden/Finland) – Market leading provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper.