Dr. Aspi Patel, Chief Technology Officer, Aditya Birla Group & Birla Cellulose. Birla Cellulose & Nanollose File Joint Patent for High Tenacity Lyocell Contact - +91 98408 97542 For Editorial / Advertisements - [email protected] JANUARY 13 - ISSUE 43 Birla Cellulose, part of Aditya Birla Group and one of the world’s largest man-made cellulosic fibre producers, has filed a joint patent application with Nanollose for a high tenacity lyocell fibre made from bacterial cellulose. The patent application, entitled High Tenacity Lyocell Fibres From Bacterial Cellulose and Method of Preparation Thereof, represents a major advancement over Nanollose’s previous viscose versions of nullarbor and nufolium. Lyocell is a form of rayon, made using a closed loop process with low demand on chemical and water usage and low waste generation. Lyocell is widely used in textile and nonwoven applications and has become popular due to a number of desirable strength and comfort characteristics. Using the lyocell process, a team of fibre experts at Birla Cellulose, Pulp and Fibre Innovation Centre have produced nullarbor fibre that is finer than silk and significantly stronger than conventional lyocell that is traditionally produced from wood pulp. This innovative development is another important step in our continuing journey to make our fibres more sustainable. This is an exciting development in the area of next generation alternative feedstock and we are looking forward to scaling up this technology in collaboration with Nanollose. The nullarbor fibre produced by the team at Birla Cellulose has exceeded our expectations, and we now have a fibre that is not only more eco-friendly but has superior properties over conventional tree-based fibres. We are very much looking forward to commencing the pilot production and presenting textiles made from this remarkable fibre to the fashion industry. Wayne Best, Executive Chairman, Nanollose Polygiene Acquisition Expands Sustainable Offering Sweden-based Polygiene has bought British Addmaster Holdings Limited, making it a comprehensive supplier of antimicrobial solutions for both soft and hard surfaces. On one of the last days of the year, an extraordinary general meeting voted in favor of Polygiene’s acquisition of Addmaster Holdings Limited at a purchase price of SEK 374 million. Polygiene’s antimicrobial and odor management products ViralOff, BioStatic and OdorCrunch, the former, launched in the spring, has performed the best. According to an ISO standard it is over 99 percent effective at breaking down viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease COVID-19, within two hours. The acquisition will allow us to offer the market a comprehensive solution of antimicrobial functions for both soft surfaces such as textiles and hard surfaces such as floors, handles, kitchen and bathroom fittings in public spaces. This reduces the need for washing and cleaning, therefore lessens our environmental impact. Ulrika Björk, CEO, Polygiene, Mayer & Cie. circular knitting machines used at Turkey's Rubenis factory Twenty-five tonnes of knitwear per day is the Rubenis knitting factory’s production capacity. The fully integrated textile company based in Istanbul, Turkey, commenced operations at the beginning of 2021 in its new, state- of- the-art production facility with only Mayer & Cie. machines. Over thirty of the German manufacturer’s circular knitting machines are in use at Rubenis. They knit single jersey, double jersey, rib structures, fleece – in short, everything a customer could wish for. At its factory Rubenis uses only organic cotton from its own spinning mill. Fabric is supplied in 100 to 250 kilogram rolls. Two thirds of the circular knitting machines on the Rubenis shop floor, all with industrial frames and housed in separate cabins to prevent fluff from spreading, are Relanit 3.2 HS models. The most common model of this is the 32-inch version, followed by the 30- and 26- inch versions. All Relanit 3.2 HS machines knit to an E28 gauge. They are extraordinarily productive in processing elastomeric yarns too. Rubenis also uses several MBF 3.2 three-thread fleece machines and D4 2.2 IIs. The interlock specialists knit to an E18, the MBF 3.2 to an E24 gauge on a 32-inch frame.