Is it just me or are Finns completely rocking cellulose R&D right now? Being new to the industry, I’ve been astonished by the speed and volume of new cellulose-based innovation. World-changing inventions keep popping up, such as the latest news on Welmu, who has developed cellulose-based cling film.
When it comes to Finnish, sustainable cellulose-based textile innovations, Spinnova isn’t alone. Several new sustainable cellulose-based textile materials are developing in Finland. This is, however, not just a product of our entrepreneurial spirit.
Scientific support
How a country fosters innovation, research and development, is of also significant importance. Our grey eminence, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, as well as Aalto university, University of Helsinki and Technical University of Tampere are all strongly involved in new material development.
What else drives us? As Finland has the most forests in Europe, we know our raw material. Pulp mills have for long been the backbone of Finnish industrial development. Now, the stagnating, if not declining, consumption of paper has made us think of new ways of putting our expertise to better use. Lucky for the planet, most inventions are highly sustainable, trying to replace less eco-friendly materials.
Money talks
Is knowing your cellulose enough? No. A disruptive startup needs a lot of friends with skills and means. We have developed our method for producing good quality textile fibre out of cellulose without dissolving or harmful chemicals for three years as a company, and are now entering a small industrial scale operation. Being on the verge of commercialization at this point wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for a “little” help from our friends.
An invention can be one man’s idea, but disruption takes R&D investment, skilled and committed people, financing, more investment, and above all, good partners who believe in the innovation. We are lucky to have all these in place at the moment.
As our planet is in a deepening crisis, sustainable innovation needs accelerating. This is why we hope that the finance community shifts its attention from the old that can no longer be to the new and improved.
Our sincere thanks to all those who keep us rocking.
Emmi Berlin
Head of Communications
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