Materials made from domestic, renewable raw materials reduce CO₂ emissions, prevent microplastics from entering the environment, and close the material cycle. The German Institutes for Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing nature-based alternatives to synthetically produced and predominantly petroleum-based materials. Two research projects have received a prestigious Techtextil Innovation Award. NUO Flexholz and the lignin-coated material FormLig demonstrate that sustainable concepts can meet high standards of functionality and design. Both projects were carried out in close collaboration with industry.
NUO FlexHolz
Schorn&Groh GmbH, NUO GmbH, and DITF have developed the decorative composite material NUO FlexHolz. This highly flexible material consists of real wood veneer, hemp or cellulose fabric, and a newly developed lignin-based adhesive layer. It is made entirely from renewable raw materials and is biodegradable. By eliminating synthetic adhesives, CO₂ emissions and microplastics are further reduced.
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The material combines the natural look and feel of wood with the flexibility of textiles. The technical basis is precise laser microsegmentation: after lamination, only the veneer layer is finely structured, while the textile substrate and lignin layer remain intact. This allows the material to be bent and shaped while remaining permanently dimensionally stable. NUO FlexHolz can be used in a variety of applications, such as in automotive interiors, interior design, furniture manufacturing, or the apparel industry.
FormLig
During the FormLig project, cellulose yarns were coated with lignin-containing compounds. The material is then knitted into semi-finished products and thermally shaped. The knitting process produces a semi-flexible knit fabric that fuses into an open-cell composite material through the targeted melting of the lignin coating. The material can be shaped almost freely in three dimensions, enabling a wide variety of geometries.
FormLig consists exclusively of biodegradable raw materials. Cellulose and lignin can be sourced from regional value chains. Lignin is produced in large quantities as a byproduct of the paper industry. Neither microplastics nor landfill waste are generated.
The composite combines renewable resources with functional material properties and opens up a wide range of design and application possibilities. DITF’s project partners are the Spek DESIGN studio and the companies Buck and TECNARO.
The awards will be presented at a ceremony on April 21 in Frankfurt am Main at Techtextil, the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens.
