Sweden Eyeing Development Of Smart Textiles Project With The Aditya Birla Group

Sweden Eyeing Development Of Smart Textiles Project With The Aditya Birla Group

Sweden is in the process of exploring a joint smart textiles project with the Aditya Birla Group as part of its effort to increase bilateral trade, a senior Swedish government official said.

Swedish minister for enterprises, innovation and rural affairs Sven-Erik Bucht said that his country is in discussions with the Aditya Birla Group for a joint smart textiles project.

The minister said that if talks succeed, a joint venture between Swedish company Domsjo and the Aditya Birla Group will be signed.

He said that Sweden has been investing heavily in developing textiles made from sustainable raw materials as it seeks to support a globally successful textile industry, adding that he had visited the Aditya Birla Group's textile research application development centre at Kharach in Gujarat recently.

He mentioned that the primary aim of his visit was to boost the development of smart textiles using viscose staple fibre (VSF), cellulosic fibre and pulp as an alternative to cotton and hence the Aditya Birla Group is a natural fit with its easily blendable cellulosic fibre.

The Aditya Birla Group has been a pioneer and the world's largest manufacturer of VSF which is a man-made bio-degradable fibre.

Incidentally, his visit is a follow-up to a recent joint statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Swedish counterpart Stefan Löfvén in the areas of innovation and research as well as efforts to increase the volume of bilateral trade. It is also a follow-up to a recent ‘Make In India’ event in Stockholm organised by India’s commerce and industry ministry.