Neocel – novel processes for sustainable cellulose-based materials
The main objective of NeoCel project is to develop innovative and techno-economically feasible alkaline processes enabling the sustainable production of higher quality eco-innovative textile fibres from reactive high-cellulose pulps and integration of these processes with pulp mills.

Targets for the development of NeoCel processes are: 
- wet strength of fibres higher than the wet strength of standard viscose, competing with cotton properties.
- lower environmental impact than any other type of existing textile fibre
- Reduction of production cost by at least 15% compared to that of best available technology (BAT) viscose 

The targets will be met through development of adapted pulps with high reactivity/solubility in alkaline water-based solutions, advanced dissolution process to maximize cellulose concentration, novel cellulose regeneration chemistry enabling both recovery of process chemicals and increased strength properties of the spun fibre, design for integration of textile fibre production with the pulp mill for minimized environmental impact, increased energy efficiency and reduced chemical consumption through system analysis using software models of theoretical mills.

In NeoCel, a consortium with raw material processing companies, chemical suppliers, equipment producers, SMEs and world-leading research institutes has formed to develop the processes for large scale manufacturing of eco-innovative textile fibres. The consortium expects that a successful NeoCel project will enable creation of 75 000 new jobs and a turn-over increase of 9.5 billion € for European forest products, textile and clothing industries within 15 years. However, already within 3 years, the consortium partners expect their joint turnover to increase by 170 MEuro