Innowwide
Alinos project
Rediscovering hemp as a sustainable textile fibre
Hemp is one of the first plants to be spun into useful fibres 50,000 years ago. Hemp fibres used in textiles were highly valued in ancient civilisations for their durability and comfort. It is therefore disheartening that natural fibres have been given a secondary role in our wardrobe, where not only does fast fashion reign, but synthetic fibres make up the largest percentage of raw materials used for our clothes. This can be explained by the cost and quality of natural fibres obtained during the harvesting processes, where they are usually broken into tiny fibres.
Moreover, hemp has several uses and is a particularly resistant plant in adverse conditions, whose rapid growth requires little energy, making it an ideal crop to grow.
Hyler and the ALINOS project
Through this project, HYLER aims to promote the use of natural fibres in order to make the most efficient use of land, fibre and the environment, now and for future generations. ALINOS was set up to assess the feasibility of commercialising HYLER’s machines in the United States to fully exploit the potential of these sustainable fibres through innovative harvesting processes. The key to achieving this is a new way of harvesting that is intelligent, ingenious and future-proof. Together with East Coast Hemp Supply Inc (ECHS), this project will provide local users with the best tools for harvesting hemp, its impact on soil health and how it can be used for a variety of bast fibre crops such as flax or miscanthus.
The goal
HYLER’s goal is to develop a complete ‘full liner’ product range of harvest processing machines designed according to end-user needs and requirements and in collaboration with our technology suppliers, while protecting the environment through innovative technology. For this purpose, a comprehensive analysis of competitive technology, market, business opportunities and social and cultural best practices for hemp crops will be carried out. Furthermore, a joint R&D project will be defined to further test and adapt HYLER’s approach to the local market context in the US, focusing on the needs and capabilities of the different stakeholders within the value chain.
