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PEF, an environmental sound substitute for Polyester

Project Idea Metadata

Project Idea Description

PET is the most widely used fiber in the world, accounting for roughly half of the fiber market overall and about 80 percent of all synthetic fibers, according to Textile Exchange’s 2019 Preferred Fiber & Materials Report. Derived from petroleum, PET was in the first instance considered revolutionary for its long-lasting, wrinkle-free, easy-to-clean qualities. Nevertheless, polyester also has several negative impacts, which are increasingly relevant.

First, virgin polyester is made from finite fossil fuels using an energy-intensive process. For polyester, crude oil is chemically processed into polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pellets, which can be formed into plastic bottles or extruded into yarns for textiles. The environmental damage begins during the extraction process and continues for hundreds or thousands of years. It is usually not biodegradable, and so will end up in a landfill for years unless recycled. Polyester also sheds microplastic fibers when it is washed, which end up in our waterways, oceans and eventually our food chains after being consumed by marine wildlife.

Synthetic materials, including polyester and polyamide, should be considered the ‘sharp end’ of the textile industry’s urgent need for next-gen materials. Regulations of plastic use and crude oil prices rise are further factors which prove that it is now time to make some changes and find alternatives.

CO2 Impacts

Polyester textiles have an estimated CO2e footprint of about 30 kg per kilogram over their lifetime, with approximately 90% (27.2 kg) of this coming from fiber and fabric production (1).

While these numbers might seem ‘immaterial’ to us directly, they reveal a fundamental truth: that circularity is not a viable route to “sustainable synthetics” and recycled PET is not the answer. Indeed, the greater share of the energy-consumption of PET is related to the processing of PET into yarns and textiles and not to the raw material extraction. In this context, recycling cannot remedy this problem.

Bio-based polyester uses renewable feedstocks like crops or bio-waste as inputs instead of petroleum. As many are still in the early stages of development, independently verified sustainability standards for bio-based polyester are just emerging. In that respect, we would like to push in that direction and gain knowledge on bio-based polymer. More specifically on Polyethylene Furanoate or PEF, which is a 100% recyclable, bio-based polymer produced using renewable raw materials (sugars) derived from plants.

(1) Beton A., Dias D., Farrant L., Gibon T., Le Guern Y., Desaxce M., Perwueltz A., Boufateh I., Environmental Improvement Potential of textiles (IMPRO Textiles), JRC Scientific and Policy Reports, January 2014.


Thematic focus

Mammut is aiming at leveling up its polyester sourcing strategy. As an innovative company, Mammut would like to develop a new sustainable solution for textile application by being an early adopter of PEF, fibers. With its super material properties (when compared to polyethylene terephthalate (PET)), PEF is seen as the next generation polyester which exhibits great potential to replace PET in a near future.

Many of these bio-based alternatives are in an early stage of development (market availability 5-10 years), and Mammut is planning a pilot project with the German Institute for Textile & Fiber Research (DITF) to develop & manufacture a first PEF fabric for the sports and outdoor industry.

Mammut has signed the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action in 2018 and verified its climate targets in 2021 by the Science-based Targets Initiative as an absolute reduction of 55% by 2030.


Degree of Innovation

The goal of the pilot project is to build up development know-how and a production network for bio-based textiles made with PEF fibers.

Thanks to the knowledge gained in the pilot project, Mammut hopes to achieve significant time savings in the development of innovative, sustainable bio-based fabrics and thus gain a market advantage over the competition in achieving to become NetZero by 2050.

Thanks to the Co-creation workshop we obtained some guidance to refine our project.


Effect

According to Sulzer, the production of PEF can reduce the non-renewable energy use (NREU) to approximately 40% to 50% while GHG emissions can be reduced by approximately 45% to 55%, compared to PET, for the system from cradle to grave.

Mammut has committed to do three actions. First to reduce CO2-emissions within its value chain, second to compensate through conventional carbon offsetting in a transition phase and first to compensate through carbon removal in line with net-zero. The project supports the first action by phasing out coal and other fossil fuels across the value chain and accelerate the transition to renewable sources of energy. Mammut’s generated emission are 75% (41’413 t CO2 eq) based on goods and services.

In terms of fibers share, 55% of Mammut’s Apparel collection is made with PET fibers, which means around 360t of PET annually used in our clothing assortment. Among these 360t, still 240t of virgin PET must be replaced sustainable alternatives such as bio-based materials.


Methodological quality

With the project funding from the Innovation Booster, Mammut plans to finance the material procurement for the envisaged pilot project. The PEF raw material, which is currently not commercially available on the world market, will be procured by an existing research consortium at DITF, spun out and processed on a sample machine to produce an initial fabric sample.

The PEF fabric sample produced in the pilot project will be compared with a virgin PET fabric in terms of its textile characteristics. Building on the standard laboratory test for textiles (abrasion, strength, durability), the production of a first T-shirt prototype for field trials is in the scope.


Gender and Diversity

The project includes the following contact points and respects both genders.

· Sophie Renot, Innovation Manager, Mammut Sports Group AG.

· Ilari Dammert, Head of Innovation, Mammut Sports Group AG.

· Dr.-Ing. Martin Dauner, Head of Competence Center Chemical Fibers & Nonwovens, DITF


Scope and Tasks

The work packages will be:

WP1: Definition of requirements and specification (Mammut)

WP2: Raw material procurement (DITF)

WP3: Melt spinning of fibres, characterisation of PEF fibre (DITF)

WP4: Comparative LCA between virgin PET & PEF fibres | Investigation about recyclability/biodegradability

WP5: Fabric/garment prototyping & field testing (Mammut)

WP5: Analysis of CO2 reduction potential & environmental impacts

WP6: Compilation and discussion of results & findings, drafting of further steps (DITF, Mammut)


Budget and Co-Funding

We would ask for 25000CHF funding which will be used by DITF (WP2, 3, 4). 20’000CHF will be used to get the raw material. 5’000CHF will be used to run the pilot trial (melt-spinning process, polymers analysis).

10% of the third-party contribution will be paid by Mammut for the CO2 potential saving analysis. 10% of the third-party contribution will be given by Mammut to the InnoBooster.

We would like to get support by the recommended external experts in regards the assessment of the CO2 reduction potential.



One of the biggest causes of plastic pollution on the planet comes from clothing. According to a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, plastic particles washed off from products such as synthetic textiles contribute to 35% of primary microplastics polluting. Polyethylene Furanoate (PEF) is a bio-based polymer produced using renewable raw materials derived from plants. PEF is referred as the next generation polyester which exhibits great potential to replace PET in the future.