Highlights:

• The world-first garment made from Tree-Free Nullarbor lyocell was designed by Australian and internationally recognised fashion designer Lee Mathews 
• Lee Mathews is a leading designer in ethical womenswear and has grown the brand from its Sydney roots to serve major markets domestically and internationally 
• Nanollose is launching the garment alongside strategic partner Birla Cellulose, a global leader in sustainable fibres with production that spans 12 facilities in 9 countries
• The microbial cellulose used to make Nullarbor fibre is formed by a natural fermentation process on agricultural wastes and by-products
• Garment demonstrates the potential of Nanollose’s Tree-Free and Forest-Friendly fibres in addressing major environmental and sustainability issues facing the fashion industry 

In a world-first, leading Australian bio-materials company Nanollose, has unveiled its new garment, made from Tree-Free and Forest-Friendly NullarborTM lyocell fibre, at the Copenhagen Global Fashion Summit.

The new garment was designed by Lee Mathews, a leading Australian fashion designer in ethical womenswear. The Nullarbor fibre used to make the garment is the result of an extensive collaboration with strategic partner and global leader in sustainable fibres Birla Cellulose.   

Nanollose is commercialising scalable technology to create sustainable fibres using a natural fermentation process that converts agricultural wastes and by-products into microbial cellulose, a Forest-Friendly alternative to wood pulp, as a raw material for fibre production. Marking an important step in this journey, Nanollose and Birla Cellulose filed a joint patent application for high tenacity lyocell made from microbial cellulose and produced Nullarbor fibre that was finer than silk and significantly stronger than conventional lyocell made from wood pulp.

The launch of this Nullarbor concept garment demonstrates the high quality of the material and the significant potential of the technology as the fashion industry transitions towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. As these trends rapidly advance, Nullarbor fibre is positioned as a prospective solution to some of the critical issues facing the industry.    

Nanollose is pleased to be launching the garment alongside strategic partner and global leader in sustainable fibres Birla Cellulose. The group operates an integrated value chain from forest plantations to fibre production which spans 9 countries and 12 manufacturing locations globally. The fabric brands Liva and Livaeco are from the house of Birla Cellulose and have become household names with major global brands. 

The production and promotion of this 100% Tree-Free Nullarbor garment complements Nanollose's first pilot production in February 2022. This led to the creation of 250kg of Nullarbor-20 Forest-Friendly fibre from a blend of 20% microbial cellulose and 80% conventional wood pulp, marking a successful start to our ongoing pilot programme with Birla Cellulose which is focused on solving sustainability and environmental issues in the fashion industry. 

“This is an exciting opportunity for Nanollose to showcase what can be achieved by designers and fashion labels incorporating our Forest-Friendly Nullarbor fibres”, said Nanollose Executive Chairman Dr Wayne Best. “To this end, Lee Mathews has incorporated several stitch techniques into the knit garment which highlight the properties and versatility of the fibre. We are also delighted to be able to share this opportunity with our colleagues at Birla Cellulose who have been instrumental in the creation of the fibre.”  

“This Summit is the perfect setting to introduce our new Nullarbor garment, with the event attracting the brightest and most innovative in the fashion industry. With a focus on sustainability and leading positive change, we will have access to a wide audience who set the agenda on the most critical environmental, ethical and social issues facing the industry and seek solutions to fix them.”

Mr Rajnikant Sabnavis, Chief Marketing Officer, Birla Cellulose, said: “At Birla Cellulose, we are committed towards developing ideas that meet the exacting needs of the fashion industry while meeting our ambitious sustainability goals, so vital for the planet. The Summit is a great opportunity for showcasing the innovation that has been codeveloped with Nanollose to bring a non-tree fibre to life in combination with our own sustainable lyocell fibre. We are looking forward to more such developments and we have more innovations particularly in the space of Circular fibres in the pipeline. We, at Birla Cellulose will always endeavour to bring fashion closer to the ideals of sustainability”.