DaimlerChrysler focuses on biofibre use (28. 10. 2003)

Clothing made from nettles
(02.10.2003)
In the end of next year, we will see clothing from the Italian fashion house Corpo Nove made of nettles, according to Nachwachsende-Rohstoffe. The fabric is finer, thinner and more elastic than hemp fibres, Peter Ruckenbauer from the Institute of Agrobiotechnology in Austria tells. A team of scientists, among them Melvyn Askew from IENICA and Central Science Laboratory in York has developed an efficient way of retting nettle fibres cheap justin beiber tickets, opening the way for nettle fabrics to be mass-produced. Their breakthrough was the addition of enzymes to the retting processes, which make extraction of the fibres quick and easy. Now, the researchers are waiting for the farmers in Europe to start growing nettles. Nettles manage well without much water, and they need little protection from pests or weeds. Once the nettles are fully grown, they can be harvested regularly throughout the summer, and can continue to grow in the same field for around 10 years.

Development of car parts in Canada
(30.09.2003)
Professor Mohini Sain from and the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Forestry, Toronto University, Canada, has developed a method using hemp fibres together with plastics from soy beans or pulp and paper sludge to form bio-composites, which are completely bio-degradable. Also flax, wheat and corn can be used in the same way. He intends to use the material in automotive parts, such as bumpers and instrument panels.

New database on plant fibres
(24.09.2003)
A new German plant fibre database – www.n-fibrebase.net- has been launched, with the opportunity for manufacturers to present their products free of charge. You can also check prizes of raw material and semi finished products. The information is apart from German, also in English and French.

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Stora Enso is testing hemp fibres
This month it is harvest time for the first legal hemp cultivation in Sweden. According to Hampanätet, the farmer Ulf Hammarsten is going to deliver parts of this year growth to Stora Enso. They are going to test to blend hemp fibres in the pulp.

Coffee in cups of paper on the flight
(Nordisk Papper och Massa 2003)
Stora Enso Consumer Board and Huhtamaki have together developed a coffee mug of paper for airline companies. Finnair is the first airline company using “Cuppocino”, a cup of double sided walls of a cartoon material called Cupforma.

Shortage of Swedish wood (17.09.2003)

Business with discharges can affect the paper production (07.09.2003)

STFI-Packforsk expands
At the end of August, STFI-Packforsk in Sweden took over parts of the research and environment activity from the Research Institute for Media Technology.

Environmental Innovation 2003
To stimulate and speed up the development and sale of cheap lady gaga tickets and a durable society a competition: "The Environmental Innovation 2003" is going to be arranged in Sweden. Further information can be found on www.miljoforum.n.se. Last date for application is October 12th.

Wood will be the most important building material in Europe
(27.08 2003)
According to Swedish Forest Industries Federation, the prime ministers Matti Vahanen from Finland and Göran Persson from Sweden have expressed that they will work for an increase in using wood within the building industries in EU. The goal is that wood will be the most important building material in Europe 2010. To reach that goal, there must be collaboration between the governments and the industries in both Finland and Sweden.

Increased road safety with lampposts of wood plastic (17.08.2003)

Composite production of harvest waste (14.08.2003)

Reduced Swedish export of wood and paper products (11.08.2003)

Royal Star, large fusion in Swedish timber industry (04.07.2003)

A new timber company will be formed in Sweden this August/September. If all the preparations are ready, the definite name will be determined at that time. The company will be the largest wood company in Sweden, and the 4th largest in Europe. Royal Star is established by a fusion between Sveaskog, LRF and Mellanskog.

USA invests in nano research

(22.05, 2003)
According to Ny Teknik the House of Representatives has granted 2.36 billion dollars for nano research in USA. Commercial products have already been developed e.g. creaseproofed cloth, food packaging for keeping qualities, and easy cleaning windows.

Biofibre-research towards products: short summing up of the research seminar

On March 27, 2003 the `Biofibre-research towards products´ seminar was held at the Swedish Pulp and Paper Research Institute (STFI) in Stockholm. It was a co-arrangement of Biofibre.net and STFI. The aim of the seminar was to bridge the gap between research and products based on renewable fibres. Both plant and pulp fibre scientists presented state of the art research with implication for bio-composite manufacturing. A common opinion was that use of renewable resources has to increase rush discount tickets in the near future, to meet an increased demand.

Several lecturers talked about all the advantages of using bio-fibres: they are stiff and strong, cheap, and have low energy consumption. They are also recyclable, carbon dioxide neutral, have a high strength, low density, large absorption capacity, and have good insulation properties. One of the disadvantages is the sensitivity to moisture which was discussed from different perspectives.

Several researchers talked about methods to modify the fibres for different purposes, such as composite manufacturing.

Stronger composites with bands (22.05, 2003)

Too expensive with fibre boards without formaldehyde (09.04, 2003)

Better roofs with wood fibre-cement (22.04.2003)

Cups of Bamboo (22.04.2003)

Plant fibre composites a growing market (22.04.2003)

Better and cheaper paper with nano-technology (31.03.2003)

Stora invests in China (23.03.2003)

HempFlax has taken over two competitors (21.03.2003)

Swedish export of wood products has increased (17.03.2003)

A New Swedish-Finnish Research Collaboration (12.03.2003)

80 million SEK to Green Materials (12.03.03)

Screen of Paper (27.01.2003)

STFI-Packforsk a new Research Institute (20.01.2003)

News from 2002

New insulation material with hemp and wool
(16 12 02)
Isover Flora is a new insulation material from Saint Gobain ISOVER G+H. Insulation mats are made of hemp fibres or a combination of hemp and wool fibres. The new product is approved by ETA (European Technical Approval). Isover Flora is manufactured for use as both thermal and sound insulation.
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Strong water resistant formable and flexible paper
(16 12 02)
Professor Tuula Teeri, Wood Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology is head of a research group for paper in the future. She has just made an application to obtain a patent for a new sort of paper. To modify the fibres a chemical enzymatic method has been used. The product is a polymer from wood cells, strong and water resistant. It is also formable and flexible and can be used in still better packaging and hygiene products. It could also make the cellulose components in cars much stronger and durable. Perhaps it could be used in airplanes in the future.

Sleeping bag made of Paper
(11 11 02)
Anders Eriksson, Örnsköldsvik, Sweden has with assistance of Duni Skåpafors produced a prototype of a sleeping bag made of paper. 85% of the sleeping bag consists of a type of cellulose fibres called fluff pulp, the same material as in napkins. The casing is made of polypropylene. The weight of the sleeping bag is only 800 g. It will keep warm to +5 °C, a doubled one to -8 °C. At first hand the sleeping bag is thought to be used in state of disaster. It could also be used as disposable bag at camping grounds and youth hostels. Icehotel Jukkasjärvi is the first customer. They are going to use the material as sleeping mats.