#Yarn & Fiber

2021-04-15

Spinnova appoints seasoned corporate finance expert Harri Sundvik as Board Member

Spinnova has invited Harri Sundvik to join its Board of Directors. Sundvik’s appointment adds valuable international financial markets and corporate finance experience to Spinnova’s already strong Board.

MBA, LL.M Harri Sundvik has had a long international investment banking career, as Managing Director Investment Banking with JP Morgan in London from 1987 to 2006, followed by ten years with Bank of America Merrill Lynch in London as Vice-Chairman of Global Investment Banking. During his career, Sundvik has worked with Nordic companies to introduce them to international capital markets, and advised emerging sustainable technology leaders to tap into international pools of growth capital. In the last couple of years, Sundvik has held various Chairman and board positions, particularly in the technology sector and emerging companies such as Spinnova.

“Spinnova is a very exciting entrant to the global scene of natural sustainable materials. The unique Spinnova technology combined with a highly skilled and ambitious team, joined by world-class strategic partners, serve as a springboard for what can be expected to be an exceptional and truly transformational success on a global scale. I am delighted to join the Spinnova team from the board perspective as the company is ready to take multiple key steps in is development,” says Harri Sundvik.

“Harri is a great addition to the team that supports Spinnova. This year, we are looking to speed up the company’s growth and scaling, which means we are actively exploring multiple, substantial financing alternatives. Here, Harri with his extensive corporate finance background and international network can add a lot of value,” says Spinnova’s CEO and co-founder Janne Poranen.

In February 2021, Spinnova announced its commercial production scaleup and 50/50 joint venture with Suzano, Spinnova’s long-term strategic partner and investor and the world’s largest wood pulp producer. The total investment, encompassing all needed infrastructure such as real estate, is some 50 million euros.?

Spinnova’s materials are being commercialized in close collaboration with leading industry brands such as the H&M Group, Bestseller, Marimekko, and Bergans, to support their sustainability and CO2 reduction targets. Commercial production of SPINNOVA® is estimated to commence by the end of 2022.

In addition to Sundvik, Spinnova’s Board members now include Chairman, Board professional and entrepreneur Timo Soininen, New Business Executive Officer of Suzano Vinicius Nonino, Founding Partner of Maki.vc Ilkka Kivimäki, Vice President, Global R&D of Lenzing AG Gert Kroner, private investor Hanna Liiri, and Spinnova’s Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Juha Salmela.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Lenzing and Kaihara to debut REMOD denim collection at Kingpins Amsterdam

The Lenzing Group, a global producer of wood-based fibers for the textile and nonwovens industries, has partnered with Japanese denim manufacturer Kaihara Corporation to launch the “REMOD Collection”. The collection combines three of Lenzing's fiber offerings for denim applications: TENCEL™ Lyocell Standard, TENCEL™ Lyocell – HV100 and TENCEL™ Lyocell dtex 2.2.

Circ and Huafon partner to scale textile-to-textile recycling in China

Circ® and Huafon, a leading spandex producer in China, are partnering to build and scale a new multi-phase textile-to-textile recycling site in China, expanding Circ's global pathway to industrial scale. The project will be located within Huafon's industrial footprint and will use Circ's technology to process polycotton textile waste and recycle both inputs, recovering recycled PTA, recycled MEG and recycled cellulosic pulp for use in new textiles. The site will be developed in phases, with Phase 1 designed for approximately 200 metric tons of textile waste per day and additional capacity planned.

Mayer & Cie. Global gears up tor ITMA Asia 2026

Mayer & Cie. Global will focus on mattress fabric production at ITMA Asia, taking place in Shanghai from 20 to 24 November 2026. The company will showcase one of its flagship models for this application: the OVJA 2.4 EM. Joining the mattress fabric specialist will be an OV 3.2 QCe, presented at ITMA Asia in a configuration for knitting double-face fabrics in E40. This gives the OV 3.2 QCe a combination of capabilities rarely found in the market. The German textile machinery manufacturer will also introduce its new portfolio strategy and share updates from its development team at its Albstadt headquarters.

FET highlights advances in fibre spinning technology at Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress

Fibre Extrusion Technology Limited (FET) presented its latest developments in fibre spinning technology at the Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress in Austria in September 2026. In a presentation entitled “Spinning a good yarn”, Dr Jonny Hunter examined recent technological developments and challenges facing the fibre industry, highlighting the company's expanding range of specialised fibre extrusion and spinning systems.

Vietnam’s market evolution creates new sourcing opportunities at VIATT 2027

As Vietnam’s textile industry continues to upgrade and scale, new opportunities are emerging for suppliers of advanced raw materials, design-led fabrics, production technologies, and sustainability solutions. The Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) will return 24 – 26 February 2027, presenting a cross-sector platform – spanning apparel, home and technical categories – for overseas companies to connect with manufacturers, brands, sourcing offices, retailers, and industry buyers from Vietnam, ASEAN, and beyond.