Lenzing Glacier Fleece Awarded With Innovation Award

In Austria, geotextiles have already shown great success in protecting glaciers that are at great risk from global warming. Covering glacier mass slows and moderates its melting. The nonwovens used were previously made from petroleum-based fibers. The problem is that microplastics that remain after the summer flow down the streams into the valley and can enter the food chain through small organisms and animals. The solution is fleeces made from cellulosic LENZING fibers.

• Sustainable geotextiles protect glacier mass
• In field tests on Austrian glaciers, fleeces made from cellulosic LENZING fibers are used to cover glacier mass. These show promising results and offer a sustainable solution for glacier protection.
• Petroleum-based nonwovens used so far can have negative environmental consequences, such as microplastic pollution.
• Geotextiles with cellulosic LENZING™ fibers will win the renowned Swiss BIO TOP Award, a prize for wood and material innovations, in September 2023.
• Glacier protection rethought: Geotextiles are already widely used to protect snow and ice on glaciers from melting. With the use of nonwovens made from biodegradable LENZING™ fibers, a sustainable turnaround is now being achieved.

Sustainable from production to further use

An innovative and sustainable solution for protecting snow and ice is now possible with the help of fleeces made from LENZING™ brand fibers. “LENZING fibers are obtained from renewable, responsibly managed wood sources and manufactured using an environmentally friendly process. Thanks to their botanical origin, they are able to decompose and return to nature after use,” explains Berndt Köll, Business & Innovation Manager at Lenzing. During a field test on the Stubai Glacier, covering a small area with the new material made from LENZING fibers was tested for the first time. The result was convincing: four meters of ice mass was saved from melting. Due to its success, the project is now being expanded. Field tests began in 2023 on all Austrian glaciers used for tourism. “We are pleased with the positive results and see the project as a sustainable solution for glacier protection – not just in Austria, but beyond the country’s borders,” continued Berndt Köll. The sustainable idea should continue after the use of the nonwovens: After use, the geotextiles could be recycled again and ultimately used to produce yarn for textile products.

Awarded the BIO TOP Award

The sustainable glacier protection and its results also convinced the jury of industry experts of the BIO TOP Award, an important prize for wood and material innovations in Switzerland. As part of this, innovative projects in the area of ​​bio-based wood and materials are promoted and supported. At the award ceremony on September 20, 2023, the sustainable solution of geotextiles made from LENZING fibers was presented with the award.