According to an international study on consumer attitudes towards textile materials and sustainability, 86% of consumers consider wood a sustainable textile raw material, more so than cotton. Still, only one third is familiar with wood-based apparel. Consumers think brand sustainability image is the single most important sign of a conscious buying decision.<\/em><\/p>\n

The study was made in Finland, Sweden, Germany, France and the US in the spring of 2020. Wood was found the most sustainable out of currently available textile raw materials. The highest sustainability rating over wood was given to emerging, waste-based raw materials. Nordic respondents were most pro wood; 90% of Finns and 91% of Swedes consider wood a sustainable textile raw material. Reasons for\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0finding wood-based textiles appealing were related to both environmental reasons and qualities of the textile material.<\/p>\n

When the Spinnova<\/a> fibre, a Finnish wood based textile fibre, is made of\u00a0farmed<\/em>\u00a0wood, the raw material value chain is CO2 positive. This means the trees are a larger carbon sink than the lumbering, pulping and logistics combined emit. Therefore concerns over excessive lumbering and native forest use are mostly unnecessary, says Spinnova\u2019s CEO and co-founder\u00a0Janne Poranen.<\/p>\n

According to the study, harmful chemicals are seen as the worst environmental problem of the textile industry; 64% considering this an issue. 60% also associated excessive water use a problem of the industry, followed by ocean microplastics, waste and CO2 emissions.<\/p>\n