With a strong focus on responsible materials and innovative solutions, Natuvalis is showcasing its expertise in the Sustainability Lounge (hall A2) at PERFORMANCE DAYS. In this interview, Katrin Reinl, Corporate Communications & Business Development, at Natuvalis share insights on their approach to sustainability, current projects, and their vision for the future.

In the Hemp4Circularity project, you are committed to building a circular economy around hemp. What exactly is your contribution?

Katrin Reinl: We contribute in two key ways: by providing concrete infrastructure and by connecting the value chain. In Upper Franconia, we are preparing the establishment of a fiber processing facility to convert regionally grown industrial hemp into high-quality long fibers suitable for industrial use. This closes a critical gap between agriculture and the textile industry. At the same time, we coordinate cultivation and processing trials, train farmers and industry partners, and work on specifications that make hemp accessible for spinning, weaving/knitting, and mechanical recycling. In this way, we are helping Hemp4Circularity establish a fully circular processing chain for textile hemp in Northwestern Europe by 2027.

How do you assess the future potential of hemp in the textile industry – both ecologically and economically?

Katrin Reinl: Ecologically, hemp is very promising: various life cycle assessments clearly show that hemp fibers tend to have lower environmental impacts compared to conventional cotton. At the same time, the EU is prioritizing bio-based, circular textiles, which creates strong momentum for Europe-grown natural fibers that also support soil health and biodiversity in crop rotations.
Economically, the picture is more challenging – at least for us here in Germany. However, we see clear momentum driven by two factors: First, the European market for natural fibers is expected to grow further, supported by the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, which sets important political signals. Second, we expect that adapted spinning processes and production technologies will make hemp scalable as a cotton-compatible blending partner – meaning it can be processed on existing machinery.
Our conclusion is that hemp can reduce the ecological footprint and also become economically viable, particularly as a blend with cotton and recycled fibers in European, circular supply chains.

What specific challenges currently exist in processing hemp – in terms of fiber quality, scalability, or integration into existing production processes?

Katrin Reinl: Hemp is not flax. We need to fine-tune processes from cultivation to processing specifically for hemp, and above all ensure consistent quality in industrially relevant volumes. At the moment, there are still a number of challenges to be solved before we can scale across the entire value chain. That’s why our approach is to build primary fiber processing capacity, define quality-assured specifications along the value chain, and connect agriculture with efficient, modern primary processing as well as spinning/weaving/knitting – ultimately contributing to robust mechanical recycling as well.