Textile industry gets green makeover
April 7th, 2008 - Posted in TextilesThe textiles industry has been a notorious polluter due to its large amounts of volatile organic compounds and polluted wastewater.
But viscose, a new environmentally friendly fiber, could help the industry gain a positive boost in its drive to become greener.
Viscose is a natural fiber extracted from wood pulp and notable for being biodegradable and having the same absorbent and easy-to-weave characteristics as cotton.
It’s used to make clothing, household wipes, cigarette filters, baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, medical pads as well as household wipes and a variety of other products.
The global output of viscose fiber has been growing worldwide. It was 1.43 million tons in 2006, and reached 1.54 million tons in 2007.
To meet the demand, the foreign-owned, Sateri International Group, is a major integrated manufacturer of specialty pulp and viscose fibers, is expanding its output in China.
Raja Garuda Mas International owns Sateri International. Based in Singapore, RGM International is owned by Indonesia’s richest man, Sukanto Tanoto.
Other companies in the Sateri International Group include Sateri (Jiangxi) Chemical Fiber in China and Sateri Oy, Finland. The Group is one of the largest viscose and dissolving pulp producers in the world.
With a total global production capacity of 285,000 tons, Sateri has two pulp factories in Brazil and a plantation in Indonesia, plus a viscose fiber mill in Jiujiang in China’s Jiangxi province.