The textile industry accounts for nearly 10% of the global carbon dioxide emissions which is more than the combined emissions from maritime shipping and international flights. Two thirds of the textile fibre feedstock are still fossil-based. The main biobased feedstock, cotton, is characterised by energy-intensive production processes. 

Seaweed is a blue biobased feedstock with great potential for textile manufacturing. The production of algae involves an ecosystem benefit with carbon dioxide fixation and uptake of nutrients (counteracts eutrophication).

 In the KELPTEX project, alginate-rich fractions – extracted using novel energy-efficient biorefinery methods - will be wet-spun into textile filaments, at both lab and pilot scale. Moreover, a resource-efficient spray technique will be investigtated to dye the textiles using an algae-based pigment The goal is to create a sustainable and circular alternative to traditional fossil and bio-based fibers.

The project is coordinated by Chalmers Industriteknik with RISE being responsible for the main technological development (alginate-based textile fiber manufacturing), in close collaboration with Manatee Biomaterials (alginate extraction) and Mounid (textile dyeing).  

Cities account for about 70% of global carbon dioxide emissions despite only occupying about 3% of the earth's land area. In terms of population, about 56% of the world's population currently lives in cities, and that number is expected to increase to almost 70% by 2050, according to UN projections. The current situation described in the IPCC's report* shows that large-scale change must take place now and at a rapid pace if the goal of a maximum of 1.5 degrees of warming is to be achieved. In order for us to reach the 1.5-degree target, the transition must accelerate. How do you work with the climate transition in your organization?

Accelerate your work with RISE expertise

To succeed with the transition, a system perspective is required, and that all actors realize their role throughout the chain. Innovation lies in new business models and collaborations across industries, where everyone takes responsibility in both the consumption and production stages. With the help of RISE, your organization will gain unique expertise to accelerate your development work and the transition.

With RISE's broad expertise in climate transition, you get access to experts in everything from organisational and process management to reuse and mobility. Perhaps you need to map and analyze what the organization's needs look like for climate transition or develop and evaluate roadmaps and strategies?

One example of this work is Climate Neutral Cities 2030** run by Viable Cities. Here, the participating cities are supported by RISE in areas such as governance innovation. This means management, governance and organisation where the entire city adapts, both the municipality and all other actors who operate there.

A partnership that empower you to act

By partnering with RISE, your business can gain access to the expertise and resources necessary to achieve climate neutrality. A partnership strengthens your ability to act and implement to:

• Translate climate goals into concrete measures by mapping the current situation, identifying strategic choices and developing feasible roadmaps.
• Develop innovation capacity and capacity to drive change through process management, skills development and support in new business models and financing solutions.
• Create sustainable solutions in collaboration with municipal companies, business and civil society to ensure long-term anchoring and impact.
• Access expertise in energy transition, circular economy, sustainable construction, mobility and water management to enable a holistic climate transition.

We can help you take the next step

Not sure where to start or maybe you have a roadmap ready? Contact us to discuss how we can support your organization in the climate transition.

*Reports — IPCC

** Viable Cities' mission is Climate Neutral Cities 2030 with a good life for everyone within the planet's boundaries. This means that the participating municipalities must be climate neutral by 2030. The initiative is driven by the strategic innovation program Viable Cities. RISE is a member of the Viable Cities board and staffs parts of the programme office. RISE also works closely with several of the participating cities on the transition work and a wide range of different projects in the area.

Biogas and biorefining for the agriculture of the future

By creating more value from the same raw material, the goal is to contribute to fossil-free food production, increased self-sufficiency and a more climate-neutral society.

Increased biogas production and fossil-free food production

The project explores how agricultural residual streams and arable land can be used more efficiently and sustainably. By combining biogas production with further processing of biomass, resources can be used more effectively while strengthening the production of renewable energy and sustainable food.

Sweden aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, while agriculture needs to become largely fossil-free by 2030. At the same time, demand for biogas is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. Agricultural residual streams and biomass therefore have an important role to play in the transition to a sustainable and fossil-free society.

Increased resource efficiency through biorefining

The project examines how the concept can increase environmental benefits and resource efficiency. The focus includes protein extraction from grass and clover leys, as well as upgrading and further processing of biogas and digestate. By extracting more value from the same raw material, agricultural resources can be used more efficiently and contribute to a stronger circular economy.

From potential to implementation

The project maps available biomass and residual streams in Västra Götaland. Different scenarios are analysed to assess environmental impact, resource efficiency and economic feasibility. The project also examines how the solution can be implemented in practice by identifying key actors, opportunities and barriers, and by developing business models for future establishment.

Funded by Mistra Utmana

The project is carried out by RISE in collaboration with the Natural Resources Administration of Region Västra Götaland and is funded by Mistra Utmana.

RISE's role in the project

The Circular synergies between land and sea project is coordinated by RISE. We are also carrying out tests on sludge from sea and land-based fish farms using hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) to carbonise the sludge, which will then be tested through plant cultivation trials at Torsta in Krokom and Val skoler in Rörvik. Together with the High Coast Innovation Park site in Örnsköldsvik and the potential sites Kråköga in Rörvik and Alby in Ånge, we are carrying out techno-economic and life-cycle analyses for the exchange of knowledge and experience between Swedish and Norwegian industrial parks for industrial symbiosis.

Funding

EU funding for Sweden: EUR 264,832
Region Västernorrland: EUR 101,196
Umeå University: EUR 26,528
RISE Processum AB: EUR 4,257
Torsta AB: EUR 10,622

Norwegian IR funding: EUR 110,000
Namdal Regional Council: EUR 13,548
Trøndelag County Council: EUR 30,000
Municipalities in the Regional Council (Flatanger, Grong, Høylandet, Leka, Lierne, Namsos, Namsskogan, Overhalla, Nærøy and Røyrvik): EUR 17, 920 EUR EUR

Private funding in kind 
Businesses and business associations (Sinkaberg, Aquaressurs AS, Kråkøya Eiendom AS, Valskoler, Namdalskysten Næringsforening, Trøndelag Farmers’ Association): EUR 100,520

The textile industry accounts for nearly 10% of the global carbon dioxide emissions. Two thirds of the textile fibres are still fossil-based. The main biobased feedstock, cotton, is characterised by chemical-intensive production processes and extensive use of water and pesticides during cultivation. Moreover, c onventional textile dyeing is tremendously resource-intensive and accounts for 25% of the textile production's environmental impact.

A blue biobased feedstock with great potential is seaweed. Rather than contributing to emissions, the production involves an ecosystem benefit with carbon dioxide fixation and uptake of nutrients (counteracts eutrophication).

In the ALLGAE project, companies along the value chain: from seaweed harvesting (Nordic Seafarm and Manatee Biomaterials), textile pigment formulators (Mounid), and the textile industry (Houdini Sportswear) are collaborating with researchers at RISE and CIT to develop 100% algae-based textile fibres. This will be done by sustainably extracting crude alginate fractions from seaweed that will be further manufactured to textile fibres. In addition, the algae pigment will be incorporated in an efficient one-pot process during the fibre spinning. We hope that these innovative fibres have the potential to replace conventional fossil and biobased fibres, while eliminating the need for harmful textile dyes

The growth of fast fashion and textile production is associated with a substantial increase in global greenhouse gas emissions. A promising alternative to reduce the environmental impact of textiles is prolonging the useful life of clothes through repairs. The project intends to generate robust and data-based evidence on consumers’ motivations to repair garments and preferences for characteristics of garments that require repairs.

In this project, we rely on qualitative and quantitative approaches to investigate both garment’s features and personal attributes that drive consumers’ repair decisions. More specifically, to generate qualitative insights, we use the social practice theory, which considers a behaviour as consisting of materials (objects), competences (skills, etc.) and meanings (such as social significance). The project conducts a series focus group discussions to understand how garment repairs can fit into everyday life practices.

Our quantitative approach is grounded in the theory of random utility maximization in which we examine consumers’ preferences for various characteristics of garments that require repair services. For this purpose, the project develops and conducts a choice experiment survey on scenarios the mimic garment repair decisions consumers face in reality. The quantitative analysis generates insights about the trade-offs consumers make between repair costs and important garment characteristics including durability, damage severity, repair time and replacement value.   

The project intends to also identify and test behavioural interventions that encourage consumers to repair garments. We leverage a digital platform for garment repairs that is under development by one of the project partners, Circle Wear AB, to test our proposed interventions.  Better understanding people's motivations and preferences for repairs leads to offering tailored services in the short-term, and consequently to a real-life transformation of clothing consumption habits where repairs are prioritized over purchasing new clothes.