Eastman Launches New Ocean-Degradable Fabric - Naia

Eastman showcased Naia, a new fabric from sustainable cellulosic fibers, at the week’s premiere visual (PV), held simultaneously online and offline in Paris from February 8 to 10.

Made from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% hard-to-recycle waste diverted from landfills or incinerators, Naia has a low carbon footprint in a closed-loop process and the solvent is safely recycled back into the system for reuse.

It can be mass produced, with full tree-to-fiber traceability, and is available as a filament yarn with a silky hand, rich luster and smooth drape. Because of its soft, easy-drying properties, it can be used to make fashionable women's clothing, or as a staple fiber. Its non-pilling properties make it ideal for loungewear. It blends well with other eco-friendly materials such as lyocell, modal and recycled polyester.

"We have experienced strong growth, due in large part to the quality of our products, Naia's inherent sustainability and strong global partner network," said Ruth Farrell, Eastman Director of Marketing. “Collaboration is the key to creating measurable impact in sustainable fashion. Many brands are working with us to achieve their sustainability goals and we are helping our factory partners bring their products to market.”

marine degradation

Eastman also recently received further scientific evidence that Naia, based on cellulose diacetate (CDA), breaks down and biodegrades in the ocean within a few months.

Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), a leading independent nonprofit dedicated to ocean research, led the study, published in December, and demonstrated that CDA-based materials decompose and degrade in the ocean. Biodegradation is orders of magnitude faster. months) than previously reported (decades).

CDA is primarily derived from wood pulp, making it biobased. Naia cellulosic fibers are responsibly sourced from sustainably managed pine and eucalyptus forests and are produced in a safe closed-loop process where the solvent is recycled back into the system for reuse.

"These materials break down on timescales of months," said co-author Collin Ward, assistant scientist in WHOI's Division of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry. "It challenges their perceptions that have lasted for decades."

The study shows the comparative decomposition of similarly constructed fabrics under the same seawater conditions. The Naia fabric completely disintegrated at 13 weeks, while the cotton and polyester fabrics completely disintegrated at 11 weeks, the latter showing no visible signs of disintegration during the 25-week incubation of the universe in circulating seawater.

The Eastman Naia team works closely with global sustainability-focused organizations such as Textile Exchange, Canopy, Microfiber Alliance, Accelerated Circulation, Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

Naia is receiving the TÜV OK Biodegradable Marine Certification from TÜV Austria and is already certified to be biodegradable in freshwater and soil environments and compostable in industrial environments. Naia short fibers are also compostable in the home environment.