Discover raw material, production process, properties, applications and sustainability aspects of SaXcell fiber made from cotton waste.
Raw Material
SaXcell, an abbreviation of Saxion cellulose, is a regenerated virgin textile fiber made from chemically recycled domestic cotton waste.
The production starts with sorting domestic cotton textile waste into a pure, well-defined waste stream. The pure waste stream is ground and non-textile components like zippers, nails, and buttons are removed.
Process
The resulting dry mixture of textile fibers with different lengths is chemically decolored and made suitable for the wet spinning process. Wet spinning can be done according to viscose or lyocell processes. The end product of this step is SaXcell, a regenerated cellulose fiber.
The production process of SaXcell is environmentally friendly because the solvent used is recovered again.
Properties
SaXcell fiber has unique characteristics, including a higher tensile strength than cotton and regenerated fibers, the ability to spin very fine yarns, a better depth of color, and compatibility with existing machinery.
It also has optimum properties concerning tensile strength, softness, breathability, thermal properties, and dyeing.
Applications
SaXcell fibers are very suitable for blending with cotton, polyester, or other fiber materials. They are extremely suitable for high-quality applications in, for example, professional garments and household textiles. The process offers the possibility to make high-end products out of cotton waste.
Sustainability Aspects
SaXcell contributes to sustainability by processing cotton waste into raw material, which can be used in standard downstream textile processes. This reduces the need for cultivating cotton and the associated use of water, farmland, fertilizer, and pesticides.
The SaXcell process aligns with the definition of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, stating that a circular economy is the root cause of global tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution by eliminating waste and pollution, keeping materials in use, and restoring natural systems.
