Imagine a jacket that keeps you warm and dry like a penguin, but is made from trees instead of plastic. This work replaces synthetic polyester with specially treated wood fibers that repel water and trap heat. It even adds heating elements and a plan to recycle the clothes when they wear out.
Outdoor clothing relies heavily on synthetic polyester, which creates environmental waste and conflicts with EU sustainability targets. There is a market gap for bio-based materials that offer the same water-repellency and warmth as plastics.
A prototype outdoor jacket using cellulose-based fibers, water-repellent insulation materials, and fabrics with integrated heating elements.
If you are a clothing brand dealing with consumer pressure to remove polyester — this project developed cellulose-based fibers and insulation that mimic penguin protection to provide high-performance warmth without the plastic waste.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with high carbon footprints in insulation production — this project developed air-laying and foam forming techniques for wood-based fibers that match the thermal resistance of polyester.
If you are a tech company dealing with the lack of sustainable substrates for electronics — this project developed cellulose fabrics with integrated heating elements and sensors for active outdoor gear.
Based on available project data, the project aims to ensure materials are low-cost and low-resource, but specific price points per meter or kilogram are not provided.
The project aims to demonstrate production at TRL 6-7 and has tested three production technologies: air-laying, foam forming, and loose-fill.
Based on available project data, there are no specific details on licensing terms, though the consortium includes 6 industry partners who are likely involved in the exploitation of the results.
The materials are developed using Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) principles to meet EU-level sustainability targets and circular economy requirements.
The project period runs from 2024-05-01 to 2028-04-30, suggesting the final validated prototypes will be ready by early 2028.
The consortium is heavily weighted toward commercial application, with a 60% industry ratio (6 out of 10 partners). The presence of 3 SMEs and 3 research organizations across 5 European countries suggests a strong pipeline from lab to market, coordinated by VTT, a major Finnish research center.
Contact TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY in Finland
Contact us to connect with the PENGUIN consortium for licensing cellulose-based insulation tech.
