The world’s largest initiative on sustainable fibers
About SAFI
Established in July 2021, the Sustainable and Alternative Fibers Initiative (SAFI) is the major global university-industry partnership effort focused on researching, developing, and utilizing alternative fibers to manufacture a myriad of sustainable products. Several challenges and uncertainties prevent the full-scale adoption of alternative fibers; some of those uncertainties relate to the perceived vs. real sustainability of these alternative fibers, their performance, and the capital investment required.
Research areas
Feedstock Supply Chain
All steps in fiber production from agricultural residues and purposely grown fibers are evaluated to gain insights into their availability, biomass, cost and feedstock delivered cost.
Characterization
This area focuses on determining the chemical composition (lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, extractives, and ash) and fiber morphology of the different non-wood feedstock to understand their potential.
Conversion
The conversion area aims to develop, evaluate and optimize sustainable pulping processes for alternative fibers. Conversion methods rely on traditional and nontraditional chemical, mechanical and thermomechanical pulping processes.
- Spent liquor characterization
This sub-area was created due to the importance of expand the use of all streams in the pulping process. From the isolation to the potential application of lignosulfonates, the goal is to diversify products derived from non-woody biomass pulping.
Fiber and product performance
SAFI team evaluates fiber, pulp, and materials properties to match the application with those to manufacture sustainable products.
- Fiber spinning
This area of research involves producing man-made fibers from non-woody biomass for textiles and non-woven applications. The focus is on systematically evaluating various feedstocks to determine their impact on fiber performance. The ultimate goal is to generate data that can guide industry decisions on feedstock selection, aiming to create low-carbon footprint fibers that meet the growing demand for textiles while promoting sustainability and the use of renewable resources.
Techno-economic analysis
Our team simulates conversion processes, models their mass and energy balances to size equipment, and thus estimates capital investment, financial return, and implied quantitative risks.
Life cycle assessment
Sustainability is core at SAFI. Life cycle assessment (LCA) models are used to assess environmental burdens associated with the production of the biomass and their conversion to fibers and final products.
Consumer perception
Understanding consumer perception toward goods containing sustainable fibers is a crucial research area for SAFI. This research area aims to develop data-based communication strategies to connect with sustainable-oriented customers and understand their perceptions and behavior.
Latest news
Ivana Azuaje Presents Research at Resources, Conservation and Recycling Official Webinar
Ivana Azuaje was recently invited to present her article “Reducing subjectivity when performing LCA for recycling systems in the paper industry through a comprehensive evaluation of different allocation methods” at the Resources, Conservation and Recycling (RCR) Webinar Series.
This prestigious invitation is extended only twice per journal volume each year, highlighting the relevance and impact of her research.
Ryen Frazier Receives 2025 Journal of Bioresources & Bioproducts Best Author Award
We are proud to share that Ryen Frazier has received the 2025 Journal of Bioresources & Bioproducts Best Author Award for the publication titled “Beyond cotton and polyester: an evaluation of emerging feedstocks and conversion methods for the future of the fashion industry.”
This award recognizes the impact and excellence of her work in advancing sustainability in the textile sector.
Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ev5s-amV
