Circular economy at Kelheim Fibres: Examples of innovation from raw material, product design and all the way to “end of life”


A sustainable product is a mosaic of many individual building blocks – Kelheim Fibres, the world’s first viscose fibre producer with an EMAS-certified environmental management system, is constantly working to further improve every single one of these building blocks. The innovative viscose special fibres from Kelheim can be functionalised as required – this often saves further processing steps (such as dyeing or coating) and thus also energy, water and chemicals. At the end of their product life, fibres from Kelheim are completely biodegradable in a short time (according to OECD Test 301 B) and thus contribute to the preservation of valuable habitats.

Now Kelheim Fibres is taking a step further: the fibre specialists are working on the development of alternative raw materials, such as recycled cellulose as well as other cellulosic feedstocks for the production of their viscose fibres. One approach to closing the product loop in the textile sector is the use of pulp produced from recycled post-consumer waste materials. Kelheim Fibres offers its customers innovative viscose fibres made exclusively from certified wood from sustainably managed forests for the production of plastic-free and biodegradable end products.

In production, Kelheim Fibres focuses on conserving resources by minimising emissions and waste. This happens through closed-loop recovery systems as well as a highly efficient energy generation and the energy-efficient operation of the plants.