This June, our CEO & Founder, Dr. Fabiola Polli, joined the Dutch Innovation Mission on Circular Chemistry, an inspiring journey across Finland, Sweden, and Norway to explore how circular chemistry is accelerating the transition to a more sustainable future, organized by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and ChemistryNL.
Together with a delegation of innovators from organizations including Avantium, Invest-NL, TNO, Bright Renewables, Renewi, Port of Rotterdam, Port of Moerdijk, Circular Plastics NL, and many others, we travelled across Finland, Sweden, and Norway to explore how the Nordic region is accelerating the transition towards a circular economy.
What followed was much more than a study tour, it was an opportunity to witness how governments, research institutes, startups, and industry are working together to turn circular innovation into industrial reality.
Finland: Building Strong Foundations for Circular Innovation
Our journey began in Helsinki, where we were welcomed by Lieske de Krijger, Deputy Head of Mission at the Dutch Embassy in Finland.
Visits to Business Finland, Neste, and VTT, including the VTT Bioruukki pilot facility, showcased how collaboration between government, research, and industry accelerates the scale-up of sustainable technologies.
In Turku, we explored Smart Chemistry Park, meeting innovators from FP-Pigments, CH-Polymers, and CH-Bioforce, before visiting the CH-Bioforce pilot plant. Discussions with Rester Oy and ร bo Akademi University highlighted advances in fibre recycling, carbon capture, and bio-based innovation.
Sweden: Scaling Circular Solutions
In Sweden, the focus shifted from research to industrial implementation.
Visits to Exergi, Lantmรคnnen Biorefinery, Svensk Plastรฅtervinning, and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden demonstrated how carbon capture, biorefineries, plastics recycling, and applied research are helping transform waste into valuable resources through scalable circular solutions.
Norway: Connecting Innovation and Industry
Our final stop in Norway brought together industry, academia, and innovation.
Visits to Carbon Centric, BEWI, Borregaard, and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) showcased advances in carbon capture, bio-based materials, and industrial biotechnology, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in bringing sustainable innovations to market.
The Biggest Takeaway
Across all three countries, one message stood out: circular chemistry is not just about technology, it is about collaboration.
The Nordic ecosystem demonstrates how governments, research institutes, startups, and industry can work together to transform promising innovations into scalable industrial solutions.
For BioFashionTech, the mission reinforced our commitment to turning textile waste into valuable bio-based resources through circular biotechnology while building partnerships that accelerate this transition.
Looking Ahead
The circular economy will only succeed through shared ambition, cross-sector collaboration, and a willingness to scale innovation together.
We are grateful to RVO, ChemistryNL, all the host organisations, and everyone who shared their knowledge throughout the mission.
We return inspired, with new connections, fresh perspectives, and an even stronger commitment to advancing circular solutions for the textile industry.
