Singapore fiber conglomerate Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) released its 2021 progress report on its commitment to invest $200 million in next-generation textile fiber innovation and technology over a 10-year period that began in 2019.
The annual report provides an update on the activities undertaken by RGE and its business groups—Sateri, APR, APRIL and Bracell—involved in the fashion value chain to advance its goals for closed-loop, circular and climate-positive cellulosic fiber manufacturing.
“Our achievements this year underscore our commitment to continuous improvement in clean production and resource utilization efficiency,” Bey Soo Khiang, vice chairman of RGE, said. “We will continue to pursue manufacturing excellence and invest in best-in-class technologies for all our facilities as part of our commitment toward closed-loop and cleaner production.”
In 2021, Sateri said it achieved full compliance with the emission limits set out in the European Union Best Available Techniques Reference Document for all of its five viscose mills in China, two years ahead of schedule. Bracell also completed construction of a large new-generation pulp mill in São Paulo, Brazil, which uses cutting-edge technology for fossil-fuel-free energy.
Sateri strengthened its strategic collaboration with Infinited Fiber Company, participating in the company’s 30 million euros funding round that attracted new and existing investors such as H&M Group, Adidas, Bestseller and Zalando. Sateri produces 20 percent Recycled Claim Standard-certified recycled viscose using Swedish company Södra’s Once More pulp for its Finex product. RGE said while the product has had limited commercial uptake since it was unveiled in 2020, it remains committed to the use of Södra’s pulp and is exploring the possibility of joint sourcing of raw materials in China, according to the progress report.
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New partnerships formed by RGE included a five-year textile recycling research collaboration with Nanyang Technological University Singapore and a three-year strategic partnership with the Textile and Fashion Federation Singapore that seeks among its goals to advance research and innovation in circular economy approaches to fashion waste in Asia.
RGE’s in-house research and development team made progress in advancing its textile-to-textile project, focusing on producing quality viscose using recycled cotton textiles as feedstock.
To support plans to build a textile recycling facility in Indonesia and as part of commercial feasibility analysis, studies examining the availability of textile waste and textile recycling landscapes in China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were completed.
Sateri remains on track to develop a product with 50 percent recycled content by 2023 and to reach 100 percent by 2030. It also aims for 20 percent of its feedstock to contain alternative or recycled materials by 2025.
In a similar vein, APR will source 20 percent of its feedstock from alternative or recycled materials by 2030. RGE is among the world’s largest viscose producers through its business groups Sateri and APR, with a strong presence in Asia.
RGE manages a group of resource-based manufacturing companies with global operations. The assets held by RGE companies exceed $20 billion, with 60,000 employees and operations in Indonesia, China, Brazil, Spain and Canada.