Drochaid helps a start-up to prove vegetable oils as alternative and sustainable feedstock to replace fossil-based
During 2021, Drochaid Research Services Ltd worked in conjunction with Natural Scottish Wax in a project funded by Highland and Islands Enterprise, to use Drochaid’s expertise and capability to build an understanding of the suitability of locally sourced vegetable oil as a sustainable and alternative feedstock to replace fossil-based hydrocarbon waxes in the textile industry.
The British Textile Industry is a globally recognized leader in its field and a major source of UK export revenue, as well as being one of the UK’s largest employers[1]. However, recent studies have identified the UK textile and fashion industry as the 4th most polluting in Europe, with estimates of around 200,000 tonnes of yearly textile waste[2]. Globally, the industry produces between the 8-10% of CO2 emissions and produce nearly 100 million tonnes of textile waste per year, being landfilled or incinerated[3]. The major challenge facing the industry is now to find new and innovate routes to produce materials which meet the needs of the consumer but also support tackling climate change and advance the drive to develop environmental sustainability.
Natural Scottish Wax is working to create the first Scottish, authentically sustainable, vegan waxes. The Business aims to harness Scotland’s tremendous natural resources and quality ingredients to develop a range of new world leading products that fit with today’s demand for sustainability.
The focus of this study was to hydrogenate vegetable oil produced in Scotland, into a plant-based wax to be used as a water repellent wax coating. Drochaid’s autoclave reactors were used to carry out the catalytic transformation of the vegetable oil. The laboratory work required the ability to monitor hydrogen uptake, which was critical to derive the scale-up kinetics and establish the operating conditions for the process.
The project was able to deliver multiple samples for testing by Natural Scottish Wax and the data has successfully proven the concept, as well as demonstrating Drochaid technical capability, and ability to support customers focused on the development of sustainable and renewable feedstocks and the wider circular economy.
Picture of autoclave reactors used to hydrogenate the vegetable oils.
Picture of one of the wax samples generated at Drochaid for end user testing