Future Forum: Man-Made Cellulose Fibers 2030

Forum for the Future launches new report “Man-made Cellulosic Fibres 2030” We are facing an unprecedented pandemic that has triggered a global socio-economic crisis.

Against the backdrop of almost inevitable global disruption in the future, we race to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5°C, halt the sixth mass extinction, and address inequality, factionalism and increasingly fragile livelihoods.

The decisions we make today are critical for socioeconomic resilience and rebuilding our social and natural systems to avoid or reduce the likelihood of these future shocks. Humanity faces a race against time for survival.

Man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCF), such as Viscose/Rayon, Lyocell, Modal and Cupro, are the second largest cellulosic fiber group after cotton, with an annual production of about 6.7 million tons, accounting for about 6.2% of total fiber production. The production of MMCF is expected to increase rapidly in the next 15 years, possibly reaching 10 million tons per year.

The MMCF value chain has the potential to address the most significant sustainability challenges of the apparel and wider textile industries, and therefore makes a very real contribution to building resilience and accelerating regeneration. For example, it offers a unique prospect for circular fashion, in stark contrast to the linear model of economic growth that has brought many of our ecosystems to the brink of collapse. As a derivative of wood pulp and other natural plant materials, MMCF plays an important role in regenerating these ecosystems and ensuring the health of carbon sinks, which play an important role in stabilizing the Earth's climate.

However, to date, the industry has faced significant social and environmental challenges, from deforestation and biodiversity impacts associated with raw material sourcing, to safe chemical use and labor rights issues during production. As an industry on the cusp of massive growth, the window of opportunity to fully tap MMCF’s potential is small.

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