Innovation


DITF says new process creates cellulose continuous filaments with circular benefits


The patented HighPerCell process from the German Institutes of Textile and Fibre Research (DITF) is breaking new ground with the production of staple fiber yarns made from cellulose, according to the R&D project team. That is because high-quality textile yarns for the apparel sector can be produced from cellulose continuous filaments in the process. DITF said that unlike the


viscose process – which requires extensive chemical processing and generates large amounts of waste – HighPerCell is a closed-loop process with complete recycling of the solvent. It uses ionic liquids as solvents and is simpler and safer to control than the Lyocell


process, according to DITF. The cellulose fibres obtained in the HighPerCell process are also less prone to fibrillation and nodule formation. The choice of raw material


for fibre production is a key aspect of the development project, it said. The focus is on the use of regional beech wood, which is available in large quantities for cultivation. Native annual plants such as hemp and flax will also be investigated for their suitability as raw materials. “The production of staple


fibre yarns from the cellulose multifilaments obtained via the HighPerCell process is opening up entirely new applications – and thus new markets – for this


type of fibre for the first time,” said DITF. “The process of yarn production from staple fibres is technically demanding: it must be tailored to the physical and mechanical properties of the fibre type to ensure the creation of a stable yarn that is easy to process further.” Otto Garne is the partner carrying out the yarn spinning step in the project. The spinning process is designed to enable the highest possible yarn quality


German project investigates recycling diaper production waste instead of burning it


The founding team at LaMa Recycling in Germany is carrying out an innovative research project at the SKZ Plastics Centre, based in Würzburg, to recycle previously unusable production waste from diaper manufacturing. The researchers think that instead of being incinerated, cellulose, plastics, and superabsorbents can be separated, processed, and returned to the raw material cycle. “Around six billion diapers


for children and adults are produced in Germany each year. About three percent of these, roughly 15,000 tonnes, are production waste that has previously been entirely incinerated,” said Marieluise


32 Textiles Loop • Summer 2026


ing the spin-off of LaMa and assisting commercialisation. A major obstacle to the


recycling of diaper production waste are superabsorbent polymers that enable diapers to absorb liquids. Their chemical properties have made recycling them costly or economically unviable until now. In the current project phase,


The LaMa Recycling project team is conducting its research project at SKZ in Würzburg. Left to right: Stefan Zuljevic, Lars Helmlinger, Marieluise Lang and Thomas Wolz. Image: SKZ


Lang at LaMa. “This results in the loss of valuable raw materials, while at the same time, thermal recycling significantly impacts the carbon footprint.”


Lang, Lars Helmlinger and


Thomas Wolz at LaMa are developing a novel recycling process which is the subject of the project at SKZ. The plastics R&D company is also support-


the work focuses on the technical scaling of the process. The goal is to establish a stable and scalable recycling process with a processing capacity of at least 500 kg per hour by the end of the project, which would be an important step towards the industrial application of the technology. • www.skz.de


and is the basis for industrial upscaling. Otto Garne is also responsible for yarn dyeing and will develop a suitable method- ology to achieve high colour depth and fastness. The staple fibre yarns spun


and dyed by Otto Garne are returned to DITF for further processing. The first prototype being produced in the project is a T-shirt. • www.ditf.de • www.otto-garne.com


Image: DITF


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