About Us

Successful at our work

A team of researchers from Saxion University of Applied Science in Enschede started in 2011 with the SaXcell project:

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Pramod Agrawal

RESEARCH

Pramod has a Master in Bioprocess technology and PhD in the field of cotton scouring at low temperature with the use of enzymes. For this, he did ground- breaking international research work as part of the European 5th, 6th and 7th Framework Program. As R&D consultant he worked for different industries. He is responsible for the enzyme technology in the SaXcell development.

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Gerrit Bouwhuis

RESEARCH

Gerrit is a textile technologist/researcher. He teaches textile technology at Saxion University in Enschede. He has a bachelor degree in the field of sustainable pre- processing of cotton at industrial scale. He carried out several management positions within a range of industrial companies in the textile industry. Gerrit was CEO of SaXcell BV and takes care of the several external initiatives

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Ger Brinks

RESEARCH

Ger was part time professor Smart Functional Materials at Saxion and has a long track record at among others Bonar, Stork, Organon and Unilever in the field of research and development. He is one of the initiators of the development of SaXcell.

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Henk Gooijer

RESEARCH

Henk got his master in Chemical Engineering at TU Eindhoven and received his PhD at Twente University on the subject ‘Flow resistance of textile materials’. He has been working in the research of textile processing and care since then. Henk is CTO of SaXcell BV.

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Jens Oelerich

RESEARCH

Jens has a bachelor degree in science and a master in molecular science. He conducted his PhD at Groningen University in bio-molecular science. Within the team Jens is responsible for the experimental output.

Regenerated ‘virgin’ cellulose fiber from cotton waste

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SaXcell is an innovative cellulose fibre produced from cotton waste

SaXcell, an abbreviation of Saxion cellulose, is a regenerated virgin textile fibre made from chemically recycled domestic cotton waste. The process to transfer domestic cotton waste into SaXcell fibre is a crucial step in the circular textile chain.

SaXcell Timeline

  • 2011

    Idea and First Trials

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    A team of researchers from Saxion University of Applied Science in Enschede started in 2011 with the SaXcell project.

  • 2012

    Proof of Principle and First Patent Filed

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  • 2013 - 2015

    Further research at Saxion University

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    Recovery of cellulose fibres from collected textile waste. This project resulted in the first 50 Kg batch of SaXcell fibers. The fibers are used to produce a non-blended fabric.

  • 2015

    Public Show in October 2015 at a conference

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    Dutch fashion brand Humanoid used SaXcell to create a dress, which was presented earlier this week at the congress ´Groen is de Rode Draad´ (i.e. green is the red thread). The congress was organised by the Dutch organisation MVO for corporate sustainability and ´Het Plan van Aanpak´: an initiative created by three associations from the retail sector. During the production of SaXcell, every kilogram of recycled cotton yielded at least 980 grams of new yarn. A study conducted by EY proved how the new fabric could become an interesting commercial solution for all apparel brands struggling with waste management.

  • 2015

    Founding SaXcell BV

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    The original inventors supported by Saxion founded the start-up company SaXcell BV, to further develop the technology towards commercialization.

  • 2016

    Spinning of SaXcell at Rieter

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    The SaXcell research team was invited by RIETER, the world’s leading supplier of systems for short-staple fiber spinning, to test SaXell fibers on the most modern machines for spinning of short staple fibers. Preliminary tests have shown that SaXcell fibers are well suitable to produce 100% waste cotton based regenerated cellulose ring spun yarn to a fineness of at least Ne 40 (Nm 68), without optimization.

  • 2017

    A successful first phase of upscaling of recycled cotton

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    Saxion Research Group Smart Functional Materials, presented research results of a successful first phase of upscaling of recycled cotton, during the conference ‘Upscaling of Cotton Recycling, SaXcell’. Within the TechForFuture (TFF) project ‘Upscaling of Cotton Recycling, SaXcell’, researchers produced 90kg of SaXcell fibre. The research results were presented March 23, 2017 and the first phase of production upscaling of SaXcell, proved to be successful. This project was realised in cooperation with stakeholders: Artofil, Boergroep, C&A Foundation, JB Textiles, Rieter, Schmits, TITK, Van den Acker and WeVoTex.

  • 2017

    Spinning and Weaving in Denizli Turkey

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    SaXcell member of TexPlus (https://texplus.nl/ 100 kg produced using waste textiles from Wevotex and tested with excellent results at Rieter/Switzerland and Turkish partners Ugurlular, Selin Tekstil and Modeko.

    2nd patent filed and granted

  • 2017

    From workwear to workwear

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    In this project, researches work in close cooperation with partners from the industry to implement SaXcell fibres in the workwear market. Big volumes, high quality and sustainability are of great importance. Old workwear will be collected and recycled into new SaXcell fibres. This project is in cooperation with Artofil, Frankenhuis, Havep, Johan van den Acker, Lavans and SaXcell B.V.

  • 2019

    Group of investors (Sympany, Wevotex, Ugurlular, Selin Tekstil and Modeko) join SaXcell B.V.

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  • 2020

    Dutch and Turkish partners join forces to kick off pilot production

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    SaXcell, a spin-off from Saxion University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, will set up a pilot programme in a new production facility to create high-grade textile out of used textile. In a pilot plant in the East of The Netherlands, a sustainable recycling process is used to turn old cotton fibres into new cellulose fibres, called SaXcell. With a production output of 100 kilos of fibre pulp per day, this marks the first time that this process is utilised on a larger scale. This has been made possible by a consortium of investors who have signed a shareholder agreement on 9 April, thereby allowing the production of SaXcell to begin.

  • 2020

    Start of lab construction Regiodeal opening 20 October 2020

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  • 2020-2022

    Future Plan

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    Establishing a modern full scale lab on the Saxion premises in combi with the current textile lab…… TexPlus cooperation

    Process development pulping on lab scale

    Test equipment

    Lab scale wet spinning

    Goal: realization of industrial scale production plant(s) and licensing model

    Construction and operation of pilot plant of 25 ton/yr start production October 2020

    Turkish partner Ugurlular start building wet spin plant

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SaXcell, an abbreviation of Saxion cellulose, is a regenerated virgin textile fibre made from chemically recycled domestic cotton waste. If you are interested in SaXcell and want more information about investing or the product itself.

Contact us at info@saxcell.com or give us a call (+90) 532 287 18 82

About SaXcell

SaXcell, an abbreviation of Saxion cellulose, is a regenerated virgin textile fiber made from chemically recycled domestic cotton waste. The process to transfer domestic cotton waste into SaXcell fiber is a crucial step in the circular textile chain.

Our Contacts

SaXcell BV Het Lentfert 38
7547 SR Enschede

(+90) 532 287 18 82