HeiQ unveiled what it calls a potential game-changer for the textile industry on Oct. 26 in a digital presentation. HeiQ AeoniQ is a high-performance cellulose yarn derived from a wide range of natural, carbon-negative sources, including wood pulp and algae. The new fiber is currently advancing to pilot production prior to mass commercialization.
The Swiss ingredients brand said that AeoniQ yarns are designed to be cradle-to-cradle circular and can be recycled repeatedly while maintaining fiber quality, offering performance properties that are comparable to those of polyester, nylon and conventional regenerated cellulose yarns.. The manufacturing process is expected to use 99 percent less water than cotton yarns.
HeiQ AeoniQ yarns (from Aeon, meaning “striving to be eternally circular”) are made from third-generation cellulosic biopolymers that sequester carbon from the atmosphere while generating oxygen as they grow. HeiQ is positioning the new high-performance yarn as a potential replacement for synthetic filament yarns, which account for more than 60 percent of the world’s 108 million tons of annual textile production. Compared to conventional cellulosic products, AeoniQ yarns do not require farmland, pesticides or fertilizers to produce, according to HeiQ.
HeiQ said it is investing $5 million to set up a pilot plant for the new product at Herzogenburg, Austria, and stands ready to deliver the first HeiQ AeoniQ yarns in the second quarter of 2022. The initial capacity would be 100 tons of AeoniQ per year, mainly for prototyping.
Given the claimed qualities, the unique decarbonizing potential offered and outstanding ESG3 credentials, HeiQ is now inviting a maximum of 20 sustainability-driven brand partners to be the first to market with products made of the yarn. The Lycra Company is the first confirmed development partner with exclusivity for stretch and performance fabrics.
As a next step, HeiQ plans to build a first “gigafactory” for AeoniQ by the end of 2024, which will require an investment of an estimated $300 million. The new factory could supply up to 30,000 tons per year as early as in the fourth quarter of 2024, securing recurring mass deliveries by the first quarter of 2025.
