MUMBAI – Indian viscose fibre giant Birla Cellulose has announced plans to aggressively scale up production of its Liva Reviva fibres to 100,000 tons per year by 2024. Liva Reviva is a part-recycled viscose fibre made using pre-consumer cotton waste and closed loop technologies. It has excellent sustainability credentials, including significantly lower greenhouse gas and water footprint compared to conventional viscose.
Liva Reviva contains a unique molecular tracer backed by blockchain based traceability and is Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) certified. Under the new growth plans, the recycled content in Liva Reviva will also be increased up to 30 per cent in 2022 from 20 per cent currently, and post-consumer material will be gradually increased in the feedstock as Birla increases the volumes.
Birla is among several progressive viscose players which are looking to increase the amount of recycled content in their viscose fibres. All face a range of barriers which include limitations in recycling technologies, lack of infrastructure for waste collection and segregation, garments not being designed for recycling and lack of investments in each of these areas.
Birla Cellulose has invested significantly in the development of recycling technology and infrastructure and said it will continue to further invest in the development of pre- and post-consumer textile waste recycling technologies, building the capacities for next generation fibres and developing reliable reverse logistics for collection and segregation.
“Today, the world is looking for innovative solutions for mounting problem of fashion industry waste. Birla Cellulose is proud to be pivoting the collaborative effort for scaling up the circular business model, this will not only upscale the waste but also help reduce pressure on forests for virgin wood-based pulp and help fight climate change,” said H K Agrawal, designate business director, Birla Cellulose. “This initiative is aligned to our vision to be a global leader in sustainable business practices in the man-made cellulosic fibre industry.”
“Canopy applauds Birla’s industry-leading target of 100,000 tonnes of Next Generation production by 2024. Spurring circular innovation is critical to reducing waste and acting on the growing climate crisis,” said Nicole Rycroft, founder and executive director of Canopy. “Our planet needs companies to move faster than they may feel comfortable. By 2030, we need all viscose producers to be sourcing at least 50 per cent of their supply chain from circular, non-forest inputs to meet the ecological challenges of our times. Accomplishing 100,000 tonnes by 2024 is an important step in that journey.”