Innovative Natural Yarn Manufactured from Waste

Circular economy initiatives aim to re-define growth to bring society wide benefits while inspiring research of natural alternative textiles and introduce new approaches in manufacturing. The creation of innovative ice-straw wool yarn and cloth is the focus of this paper. Entrepreneurs Bernadette Casey (Wellington) and Sally Shanks (Gisborne) of The Formary, wanted to make a difference in the environment and conceptualised the idea of transforming rice straw waste and strong NZ wool into yarn proposing the woven fabric had the potential to help reduce China’s massive air pollution problem caused by burning waste straw after the rice harvest and to use all of NZ’s mid 26 to 30 μ range wool [1]. The fibre blend development was facilitated with Beef and Lamb New Zealand, and NZ government funding and research and design at Textile Design and Institute of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, and yarn engineering at WoolYarns, 2011–2014 [2].

Textile innovations using waste fibre feedstock from other industries are important [3]. The world’s first woven wool rice straw upholstery fabric enhances different qualities of each fibre [4]. The Formary presented it to Chinese clients during a WCC 2014 mayoral delegation to advance the commercialization process [5]. Mibu® was launched at the 2015 World Exposition in Milan [6] and subsequently exhibited in Korea and France.