Introduction
In the Euregio Rijn-Waal farmers, companies and research institutes have joint forces to develop a hemp texile chain in the region. For farmers it alows the cultivation of a new crop in the crop rotation scheme. Regional texile companies can develop novel yarns and fabrics to improve their competetiveness on the world market. The work is coordinated by BRUT in Kleve and is financially supported by Interreg IIIa. In 2005, 6 ha. of the hemp variety Chamaeleon was cultivated in Rheden (Netherlands) and Kleve (Germany). The crop has been harvested in August 2005 and subsequently was decorticated. The fibres obtained after decortication were refined by steam explosion and with cotton spun on a short fibre spinning system to give a 50% hemp yarn. These yarns are applied in fabrics, jeans and functional textiles for health care. The work in the first year of the project has shown that it is technically feasibility to produce hemp yarn and textiles.
In 2006, 10 ha. Chamaeleon was cultivated and harvested. The fibres are now used to further optimise the technology and to produce fabrics to show to textile companies in order to determine the market potential of the product.
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Land der Ideen
In a Germany-wide competition, 365 landmarks were selected from more than 1,200 applications to present themselves and their ideas and innovations to the public on one day in 2007. These “landmarks” are private and public institutions, cultural and church organisations, social projects, companies, and scientific research centres. The Regional hemp textile chain project has been selected as one of the 365 landmarks for 2007. On 30 July the results of the project will be presented in Kleve (Germany).
Mehr Information (Deutsch)
Project partners
• BRUT (EWIV) / Technologie-Zentrum Kleve
• Plant Research International B.V., Wageningen UR
• Landwirtschaftskammer NRW, Kleve
• Biologische Producentenvereniging Achterhoek
• Deutsches Textilforschungszentrum Nord-West e.V., Krefeld
• Trützschler GmbH Co.KG, Mönchengladbach
• VRISIMA B.V., Laren
• Universität Duisburg-Essen / Transferstelle
• Stichting Food Valley, Wageningen
Subcontractors
• Institut für Angewandte Forschung, Reutlingen
• Badische Naturfaseraufbereitung GmbH, Malsch
Supporting partners
• BOOS textile elastics, Goch
• Schlafhorst Sauer, Mönchengladbach
• Hecking Deotexis GmbH, Neuenkrichen
• Gardeur AG, Mönchengladbach
Inspire & Innovate project 'Market opportunities for hemp based fabrics'
A fundamental exploitation of the potential market in the textile industry with regard to clothing (jeans), medical textiles or home textiles is required to develop the STEX technology further. The present experience shows that end-producers need large amount of material for product design and market tests. To make the market potential for hemp fabrics more concrete it is essential to produce fabrics for the fashion brands.
Within ‘Inspire & Innovate’ we will produce hemp fabrics to make a good assessment of the fashion brands’ interest in hemp textiles. For this over 1000 meters of a 50% hemp denim fabric will be produced to allow fashion brands to work with the fabrics and to make a sample collection of jeans. In addition a 100% hemp yarn will be produced to use in elastic knitwear for orthopaedic applications. The project will give information on the technical and economical feasibility of the hemp textile production chain.
Project partners
• VRISIMA B.V., Laren
• BOOS textile elastics, Goch
• Hecking Deotexis GmbH, Neuenkrichen
• Leopold Schoeller jr. GmbH & Cie. KG, Niederzier
• BRUT (EWIV) / Technologie-Zentrum Kleve
Subcontractors
• Deutsches Textilforschungszentrum Nord-West e.V., Krefeld
• Plant Research International B.V., Wageningen UR
Acknowledgement
The projects are co-financed by the EU Interreg IIIa project by the Euregion Rhine-Waal and the ministeries of Economic affairs of the Netherlands and North Rhine-Westphalia.
