Sustainable fibre sources

and bast fibre crop markets

Jan E.G. van Dam

30-07-2015

Outline

Wageningen UR – Food and Biobased Research

Natural Fibre technology / process and product innovation

Cellulose markets /

Bast fibre niche markets

Market study FIBRA – EU & China

Wageningen UR

Domain: healthy food & living environment

Turnover in ca 700 M€

Fast increase in number of students

Extensive international network

Forty locations, main hubs in Brazil, China and Chile

…to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life…

Organisational structure Wageningen UR

Wageningen International

IMARES

Wageningen Academy

RIKILT

Food & Biobased Research

Livestock Research Central

Veterinary Institute

Alterra LEI Centre for

Development Innovation

Plant Research International Applied Plant

Research

Agrotechnology & Food Science

Animal Sciences Environmental Sciences

Social Sciences Plant Sciences

Agrotechnology & Food Sciences

Group

Animal Sciences Group

Environmental Sciences Group

Social Sciences Group

Plant Sciences Group

Supervisory Board

Executive Board

Concern Staff Facilities & Services

Wageningen University

Research Institutes

Food & Biobased Research

Agrotechnology & Food Sciences

Agrotechnology & Food Sciences

Group

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDUXUII_9Wg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffK0mVhEXEI

Expertises Biobased Products

Sustainable logistics & chains

Biomass production and pretreatment

Proteins, lipids and carbohydrates

Biobased materials

Biobased chemicals

Bio-fuel technologies

Expertise Natural Fibre Technology

Fibre raw material resources / supply chains

Fibre extraction and processing

Fibre product development

Fibre qualification / analysis

Composite and fibre board manufacturing

Paper/paperboard manufacturing and testing

Cellulose extraction/modification (nano-fibres)

Lignin characterization and application development

Resin/polymer processing application

Coatings/adhesives/colloidal systems

Refinery into valuable components

Products and Market(s)

Developing:

● Added value products from Bio-based residues

● Added functionality products

● Packaging

● Textile

● Fibres

Bioplastics

Fibres & products

Biocomposites

Bulk & fine chemicals

Pro

du

cts

Markets

Paper and board

Textile

Packagin

g

Build

ing a

nd c

onstr

uction

Auto

motive

Cosm

etics a

nd P

harm

acy

Bioeconomy and biobased economy

Circular BioEconomy

Transition to the bio-based economy

• Total annual growth of dry weight biomass by photosynthesis in green plants 175 billion tons (175 Gton / 2500 EJ)

• For human consumption (food, feed, non-food) 6 Gt is harvested each year (or 3.5% of total plant production)

• Current world wide land use: • 10-12% cultivated terrestrial surface • or 50% of the suitable arable land area

If 15% of the Global energy demand for human needs in 2050 is provided by biomass

10 Gtons (160 EJ) is needed (or 6% of total plant production)

Including population growth and increase in standards of living

Transition to the bio-based economy

World Biomass demand in 2050

Food/feed 10 Gton biomass for 3 billion ton

Energy: 10 Gton equivalent to 160 EJ

Chemical industry: 1 Gton for 0.3 Gton product

Specialties: 1 million ton

Wood & paper pulp,

composites: 3-4 Gton

Bio-based economy Opportunities

• Value addition in materials, and ‘green’ chemicals

• sufficient renewable resources available for

– food

– feed

– energy

– materials

– chemical industry

• Position of bast fibre crops in the bioeconomy?

Transition to the bio-based economy

• If there is enough biomass available

• How to change to the bio-based economy?

• There is not one strategy………..

• Required: sophisticated combination of resources and processes leading to defined value added products

Competing claims for biomass resources

Sustainable production

food supply security

land use (ILUC)

deforestation

rural development

Rapid expansion of demand for energy purposes

DEVELOPMENT OF BIOREFINERY

Food

Biomass production

1st Agro logistics Food pretreatment

Food production Conversion

Non-

food: • Feed

• Compost

• Waste

management .

Agri sources Agro-food production By products & waste

Logistics& storage production Imports

Conversion

Production

$

$

$

Biobased

Products • Biobased

materials

• Green

chemicals

• Bio-fuels

• Bio-energy

Production Performance materials Base&platform chemicals Performance chemicals Bio Energy

Pre-treatment & conversion

The bio-based economy: linking of markets

Cellulose production

World production biomass Human consumption 170x109 t / y 6x109 t / y

ProBIB 2008

Cellulose 50-70x109 t/y Non-food 2.3x109 t / y

Wood for

energy,

paper,

furniture and

construction

33%

Non-food

use

(clothing,

chemicals)

5%

Food

62%

3.5%

Cellulose Matrix

Cellulose Matrix niche bast fibres

World fibre production

World fibre production 1920-2006 (kton)

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

1915 1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Cotton

Synthetic (petro-based)

Man-made cellulose fibres *

EU-China fibre trade

22

Exports of flax fibre from EU to China for yarn spinning, weaving, and finished linen textile products manufacturing Imports of hemp and flax linen goods from China to EU

Fashionable industries

• Short living trends

• Exclusive branding

• Poor quality products

• Very cheap for customers

• Flax linen industries supply and demand fluctuations

• Unpredictable prices

• Unreliable customers

• Incomplete supply chain

Cellulose production

cellulosic fibres 103 ton/yr major producing countries

cotton 25.000 China, Brazil, India, Pakistan, USA, Uzbekistan

flax 300 EU, China

hemp 90 China, EU

jute 2.500 Bangladesh, India

kenaf 350 China, Thailand

ramie 280 China, Brazil

abaca 70 Philippines, Ecuador

coir 500 India , Sri Lanka

sisal 300 Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania

Cellulose feedstock

• Shift of market demand for cellulose

• Carbohydrate source for 2e generation bio fuels

• Biorefinery and ‘green chemistry

• Effects on paper industries:

• Digitalisation

• Interest for alternative

• fibre sources

Cellulose price increase

• Straw 50-100 € / ton

• Wood chips 100

• Pulp 650-900

• Raw hemp 350 - 650

• Flax 1500-1800

• Raw cotton 1700 - 2500

• Dissolving cellulose 1750

• Viscose / rayon 2000

• Celluloid 3300

Kenaf production decline

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

kto

n/y

ea

r

Year

africa

latin america

near east

far east

world

Transition point?

Fibre crop markets

market Products Niche markets for bast fibre

1 Textiles fabrics of cotton, linen,

viscose, lyocel, acetate Apparel, carpet backing, upholstry sacking, geotextiles

2 Twine Ropes, cordage Agricultural twine, baler &

binder twine, packaging

3 Non-woven needle punched, wet laid, air laid,

hygienic tissues, diapers, wipes, filters

Padding, insulation, geotextiles, filters mulch fleece

4 Pulp, paper and board

newsprint, writing, specialty paper, corrugated boards

Security paper, cigarette paper Wrapping paper, filters

5 Cellulose dissolving pulp

viscose, lyocel, cellulose derivatives, CA CMC HEC

-

6 Cellulosic Films packaging, membranes, -

7 Building materials Veneer*, plywood*, fibre boards,

Insulation, plaster and blocks Particle boards Insulation materials , fibre concrete

8 Cellulosic fibre composites

moulded compounds, laminates, mineral matrix fibre composites

Automotive interior parts,

9 Green chemicals bioethanol, organic acids, furans,

biopolymers -

Composites & building materials

• Polymer composites in automotive – Compression moulding – Injection moulding – NMT prepregs – Sheet moulding

• Fibre boards (MDF, HDF) – Particle (shives) boards

• Mineral fibre composites – Cement / lime/ magnesite / clay

• Insulation rolls and blankets

16-18 June 2014 NAROSSA, POZNAN 29

Fibre composite market

Trends in fibre reinforced composites

Agrofibre compounds for injection moulding /

3D printing / forming

Biopolymers (PLA/ PHA/ bioPP)

Cement composites /light weight construction

Fibre boards and panels Injection moulded products from natural- fibre/plastic granules

Economic feasibility

Market demands

● Technical performance / availability

Cost of processing / modification

● Acceptable costs range of treatment

● Investment for implementation

Economic scale of fibre processing / modification

‘Glove box’ Audi A2

Examples Injection moulded products

‘Glove box’ Daimler (prototype)

Werzalit

Loudspeaker Housing Audi

Ironing device Fan Rotor

Handy NEC

Examples Injection moulded products

Vacuum cleaner

Tableware: Cup & Soup bowl

Examples Injection moulded products

Shaving Brush

Chair IKEA

Grinding Disk

Polymer and fibre technology trends

• Nanofibre from bast fibre/wood pulp

• refine conditions

• properties

• Diameter 50-100 nm

• High specific surface

• High strength and modulus

• Translucent

• Durable

• Biodegradable

• Renewable, CO2 neutral

(bio)chemical modification

Fibre based construction

Biobased building: Renewable Hemp house (UK, FR) Hemp in concrete (Hempcrete) Roofing membranes Flax door panels, insulation Separation walls Grow2Built / CA’PEM

NAROSSA, POZNAN 16-18 June 2014

Flax and Hemp building products

Crop Plant part Product By-product Use in building and construction

Flax / Hemp

Seed Oil

Linoleum Paints & coatings Putty

Press cake -

Stem

Fiber (bast)

Fabric: curtains, wall coverings, batten, bags & canvas Twine: Ropes & twine, lines Non-woven: Insulation mats Paper: Sheets, Foam, fluff Cellulose: Polymer and mineral composites.

Shives (hurts) Particle boards, mineral composites

Flax insulation

Hemp Insulation

Flax composite boards

Prefab hempcrete elements

Linoleum flooring

On going R&D

Fire retardant building materials

Fibre cement / concretes

Biobased resins and polymer composites

Biobased building in relation to indoor climate and health

1st International Conference on Biobased Building Materials Cerlmont Ferrant France, 21 07 2015

16-18 June 2014 NAROSSA, POZNAN 44

Fibre based geotextiles with prolonged life-

time

Dunes replanting with jute fabric

Experimental plot Regge & Dinkel, March

1999

Demands functional lifetime geotextile

Durability increase by acetylation

Conclusions: • 3-5 x life time extension of jute, flax and cocos

• Very well rooting of plants

• After 5 yrs only cocos can be retraced

Geotextiles and horticultural mats markets

EU – project FP7 BIOAGROTEX (2008-11) technical textiles for agrotextiles / (recycled jute non-wovens / Up-scaling production acetylation (UK / NL / BE) Other innovative methods of modification

EU Hemp markets and products

Hemp Shives:

horse and other animal bedding and horticulture 50-70%

Competitors: wood pellets, cereal straws

light weight concrete, particle boards 15%

Competitors: Wood chips / flax shives / straws

NAROSSA, POZNAN 16-18 June 2014 50

Hemp Shives Applications: 43,621 tonnes (EIHA 2012)

European Hemp 2010

NAROSSA, POZNAN 16-18 June 2014 51

Other market developments

• Ramie: multi-purpose crop animal feed & mushroom growing medium

• Soil remediation

• Folk medicine

• Forage & animal feed (bird seeds,

• Animal bedding & absorbants

16-18 June 2014 NAROSSA, POZNAN 52

SWOT

Strength EUR CHN

Weakness / risks EUR) C

HN

Established production + + Relative small scale industry + +

Full commodity market + + Eroding market position + +

Diversity of market outlets + + Interdependency in production and supply chain + +

Ecological positive image + + Labour intensive production + +

Good seed varieties available + + Obsolete retting & degumming methods + +

Well known agronomics + + climate dependency of crop productivity + +

limited fertilizer, pesticide, chemicals + + Annually variable qualities + +

Mechanisation of crop production + - Fashion trend dependency of top quality market product + +

Strong fluctuating market prices + +

Opportunities /chances Threats

Ecological & sustainable products + + Low profits for chain partners + +

High quality products + + Loss of skilled chain partners + +

Diversification and new innovative products + + Alternative production methods + +

Non-traditional bulk markets + - Competing low cost fibre products + +

Competing arable crops + +

Poor organization of the sector + -

16-18 June 2014 NAROSSA, POZNAN 53

SWOT of Flax and Hemp

Europe and China

• Small holders involved in the whole production and supply chain.

• Competition among producers is high on local and international levels

• High demands on the product quality, high risks of crop failure

• Suppression of production costs and increasing wages are scrutinizing the competitiveness of the sector and affects the quality of the products

16-18 June 2014 NAROSSA, POZNAN 54

SWOT of Flax and Hemp

Europe and China

• High prices for maintaining production of top quality textile fibres results in lower competitive with bulk products like manmade fibres and cotton

• High costs of production contra-productive for lower-end fibre bulk market products, (building materials and composites) where cheaper and established products are available.

16-18 June 2014 NAROSSA, POZNAN 55

SWOT of Flax and Hemp

Europe and China

• Ecological and sustainable preference of increasingly conscious consumers can be exploited as niche market

• Diversification of the markets for bast fibres the decline of production area may be reversed both in Europe and China.

• Mechanisation of the production of fibres of different quality standards is of interest.

• The trade of fibres as commodity product needs further expansion, when the sector is to survive in the 21st century.

16-18 June 2014 NAROSSA, POZNAN 56

Thank you for

your attention

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