SaXcell has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Birla Cellulose paving the way for the expansion of collaboration between the two companies for the production of recycled manmade cellulosic fibres.

Formed by a team of researchers from Saxion University of Applied Science in Enschede, The Netherlands, in 2015, SaXcell has developed a recycling technology for turning used textiles into feedstocks for new manmade cellulosic fibres using less water and chemicals. After extensively testing and improving the technology, a pilot factory was successfully built in 2020 and by 2024 the company will further expand by building a small scale production plant.

Birla Cellulose operates 12 sites for pulp and fibre manufacturing that apply environmentally efficient closed-loop technologies including recycled materials and the enhanced conservation of natural resources. Its five global advanced research centres are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and pilot plants.

SaXcell’s textile waste pulping technology combined with Birla’s advanced wet spinning expertise results in high quality sustainable SaXcell-branded recycled fibres serving the circular textile needs of customers at commercial scale.

“To address the social and environmental challenges of the textile industry, global collaboration is imperative,” said SaXcell CEO Erik van der Weerd. “We need to facilitate a change from a linear to a circular economy and we need to do it now. Our combined innovation force and production power offers a great opportunity to create real impact.”

“Birla Cellulose is strongly committed to supporting innovators for expanding circular fibre offerings in the textiles and nonwovens value chains,” added Birla Cellulose CTO Aspi Patel. “We have been exploring innovative business models and partnerships and this collaboration is one such initiative, where we aim to help SaXcell leapfrog from pilot to commercial demonstration scale. Such partnerships will play an increasingly important role in accelerating circularity in the global textile value chain.”

www.saxcell.com

www.birlacellulose.com