Approved by curator
Added: Sep 02, 2021
Last edited: Sep 02, 2021
Asahi Kasei is a Japanese chemical producer who started producing a GRS-certified cupro fibre called 'Bemberg'. This fibre is made from 100% pre-consumer waste; cotton linter, a by-product that's removed when extracting cottonseed oil. It has a wide variety of applications such as lining, underwear and activewear with a production capacity of 17,000 tonnes annually.
Often regenerated cellulose fibres are produced using wood from endangered or ancient forests, contributing to the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Asahi Kasei has developed a technology to produce a performing regenerated cellulose cupro fibre from cotton linter, registered as Bemberg. The cotton linter is a pre-consumer waste by-product of the cotton plant, the part discarded when cottonseed oil is extracted. The cotton linter is then refined and spun into fine filament and staple yarns and, according to Asahi Kasei, surpasses cotton in comfort. On-site power generation facilities mean that 40% of Asahi Kasei's energy is renewable and derived from hydropower and biomass sources. Asahi Kasei has also achieved almost zero emissions by upcycling fibre waste from Bemberg manufacturing to produce fuel used to power its plant. Asahi Kasei also uses Bemberg waste to create mushroom beds and work gloves.
Bemberg fibre is biodegradable when buried in the soil, and in summer conditions of temperature 35°C, humidity 80% can degrade by 50% in two months.
recycling
textile fibre
cotton
cupro fibre
Cellulose based textiles
pre-consumer waste
by-product