Material World is a weekly roundup of innovations and ideas within the materials sector, covering news from emerging biomaterials and alternative leathers to sustainable substitutes and future-proof fibers.
Spinnova
Woodspin Oy, the exclusive producer and distributor of Spinnova’s wood-based fiber, is jointly owned by the Finnish fiber firm and the Brazilian cellulose producer, Suzano. Following the plant’s strategic review in February—which saw Suzano share its intent to cease collaborations as the eucalyptus pulper said it would not invest further in Woodspin’s next phase of cooperation and will temporarily halt financing the facility—the venture entered negotiations in April.
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As a result of those negotiations, Spinnova has signed a non-binding term sheet to secure full ownership of the Woodspin demo plant.
Per the terms, Spinnova Ojy would acquire all Woodspin shares held by Suzano S.A. for a consideration of one euro. Both Spinnova and Suzano will continue to fund Woodspin for the financial year 2025, as agreed and committed in February.
The second term confirmed that Spinnova Oyj would acquire all Suzano Finland Oy shares held by Suzano S.A. for a consideration of one euro. This includes all assets in Suzano Finland—mostly consisting of equipment for refining and microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) technology. Most of Suzano Finland Oy’s employees—18 in total—would be part of the acquisition. Suzano Finland Oy is currently wholly owned by Suzano S.A.
The third matter confirmed that Spinnova Oyj and Suzano S.A. would terminate the joint venture agreement and all related exclusivity rights. This would enable Spinnova to license the technology to any chosen party producing fiber out of wood-based raw material.
In addition, Suzano would make a capital contribution of about $5.7 million (5 million euros) in total to Woodspin and Suzano Finland. In the short term, the company said, planned transactions would not have an operative impact on Spinnova.
As a result of the agreement, Spinnova would get full ownership of the lone large demo facility, with the needed infrastructure and utilities in place to produce Spinnova fiber from pulp to bale. The acquisitions would not have an adverse cash flow effect in the short term on Spinnova, the company said.
All transactions—including the acquisitions of the shares of Woodspin and Suzano Finland, as well as the termination of the related exclusive rights—are subject to the execution of definitive agreements, expected to finish no later than the end of August.
The change negotiations in Woodspin, covering the entire staff (33 employees), were completed on May 26 and communicated to the employees on June 10. As a result, 27 employees will be temporarily laid off until further notice. While Spinnova is looking for alternatives to continue operations at Woodspin, those operations will be stopped until further notice.
Shortly after the strategic review news was made public, Spinnova shared an updated strategy: improve the cost efficiency of its production process.
“We have received confirmation from textile value chain operators that the properties of Spinnova’s fiber are already sufficient for selected commercial applications,” said Spinnova’s CEO, Janne Poranen. “However, fiber production costs are currently too high. For this reason, we will focus in particular on reducing production and investment costs.”
Spinnova’s 2025-2026 priorities include developing its technology to be more cost-competitive, further developing the Spinnova fiber properties for non-textile applications, selecting wood-based and other cellulose raw materials for the Spinnova process, building an international consortium of companies to advance scaling Spinnova’s technology, continue promoting the 50/50 joint venture with Ecco, and to target about $571,000 (500, 000 euros) annual cost savings through consolidation of Spinnova’s sites in Jyväskylä, Finland.
“The goal is to build an international consortium of companies, the aim of which is to accelerate the scaling of the Spinnova concept,” Poranen said. “We are currently looking for partners for this collaboration.”
Spinnova will not give financial guidance for the years 2025 and 2026.
Suzano
In somewhat related news, Brazilian pulp producer Suzano and consumer staples industry leader Kimberly-Clark announced the creation of a $3.4 billion joint venture. Focused on the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of consumer and professional tissue products—such as toilet paper and paper towels—in over 70 countries, Suzano will acquire a 51 percent interest in the new entity. Kimberly-Clark holds 49 percent.
Suzano will pay Kimberly-Clark $1.73 billion in cash for its 51 percent at the closing of the transaction, which is expected to be in mid-2026 and involve approximately 9,000 employees.
“This new company brings together two global players that are leaders in their respective markets, with complementary capabilities that combine Suzano’s industrial expertise and operational management efficiency with Kimberly-Clark’s know-how in brand management, marketing and commercialization of both regional and global brands, as well as its extensive experience in managing operations across multiple regions worldwide,” said Beto Abreu, CEO of Suzano. “Both companies share strong organizational cultures rooted in innovation and sustainability. We look forward to combining great talent, good assets and tremendous brands that are trusted by consumers.”
Kimberly-Clark will retain its consumer tissue and professional businesses in the United States and its interests in existing joint ventures in Mexico, South Korea and Bahrain, among other countries.
“This transaction represents a powerful step forward in Kimberly-Clark’s transformation journey,” Mike Hsu, chairman and CEO at Kimberly-Clark, said. “We are pleased to enter into a strategic partnership with Suzano, a leader in its field, and we look forward to working closely together to deliver on the significant opportunities ahead for our International Family Care and Professional Business.”
Modern Meadow
Bio-design company Modern Meadow has tapped Italian agency Menabò Group as its partner to develop the Innovera brand and its global communications strategy.
Innovera, formerly known as Bio-Vera, is made using plant-based proteins, biopolymers and recycled rubber—achieving over 80 percent renewable carbon content. While the animal-free material replicates the look and feel of collagen found in leather, Innovera isn’t presented as an “outright alternative” to animal leather but as a “low-impact, high-performance option that tanneries and brands can offer their customers across fashion, footwear, the automotive industry and interior design.”
Innovera made its debut at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen held June 3-5. Modern Meadow CEO David Williamson’s panel discussion explored the future of bio-design and the role of renewable materials.
Microban
Antimicrobial solutions provider Microban has dropped H2O Shield: a PFAS- and PFOS-free water-resistant finish portfolio for textile applications. The technology drop marks Microban’s first expansion outside of its traditional antimicrobial and odor control offerings.
“Microban provides a unique turnkey support structure, assisting our partners in combining finishing technologies while ensuring compliance and compatibility. Partners can also leverage our technical and testing support and trusted brand names,” said Microban International president, Michael Ruby. “This synergy allows brands to deliver multi-functional performance with tailored solutions, protecting and extending the overall life of textile goods and delivering what consumers desire.”
The technology offers four repellent options intended to meet the specific aesthetics and performance needs of various brands and manufacturers.
The first—WR1000—is best suited for overall water repellency in low-touch applications, think shower curtains and tents. WR1001 is intended for wicking performance or athletic and sweat-resistant apparel such as ski jackets and running fabrics. WR1002 is formulated to address chalking defects and color shift issues on dark-color fabrics that scratch easily, like hiking gear and gloves. Best suited for applications where seam slippage is an issue, WR1003 can help prevent tearing in products like backpacks and tents.
For fabrics that are traditionally difficult to treat, Microban offers an optional pretreatment, WR-P. It expands fabric compatibility—reducing water-repellent agent dosage by 15-20 percent and increasing the wash durability of the treatment.
Beyond water resistance, H2O Shield is designed to work with other Microban technologies, including antimicrobial and odor control solutions.
Solmax
Canadian manufacturer of geosynthetics Solmax has launched its Performance Materials platform, the next chapter in the integration of a “long-standing legacy” of TenCate Geosynthetics and Propex, now operating as a division of Solmax.
Both TenCate Geosynthetics and Propex built an Industrial Fabrics reputation next to their Geosynthetics activities with durable and reliable solutions for the agricultural, recreational and specialty markets. That commitment remains unchanged, Solmax said, with Performance Materials carrying forward the same mission, with an “even greater” global reach, resources and opportunities.
“Performance Materials builds on a proud legacy of delivering practical, reliable solutions,” said Bob Gilligan, CEO of Solmax. “We are investing in the future of technical textiles, strengthening our offering for the agriculture, recreation, and specialty markets while staying true to the values that earned our customers’ trust.”
AMSilk
AMSilk, the world’s first industrial supplier of vegan silk biopolymers, has expanded into the consumer care market with AMSilk4Shine and AMSilk4Care.
AMSilk4Shine is a silk protein-based ingredient designed to provide a more sustainable, high-performance alternative to traditional petroleum-based polymers.
AMSilk4Care is a base pure protein formulation ingredient, designed for brand owners and ingredient suppliers to test in their product formulations and “unlock the full potentiall” of silk protein in different household and personal care applications.
“With AMSilk4Shine and AMSilk4Care, we are pushing the boundaries of bio-based consumer care solutions by offering an affordable biotechnology ingredient that meets the growing demand for eco-conscious products—without compromising on performance,” Ulrich Scherbel, chief executive officer of AMSilk, said. “This marks an exciting step forward for AMSilk as we continue to explore the additional applications of our silk-based protein technology.”
