Birla Cellulose Liva Reviva case study wins UN award

Birla Cellulose, part of the Aditya Birla
Group and one of the largest global
manmade cellulosic fibre (MMCF)
producer, has emerged as a winner in the
first edition of the “National Innovative
and Sustainable Supply Chain Awards” by
UN Global Compact Network India.

The case study presented by the
company – Liva Reviva by Birla Cellulose
& Fully Traceable Circular Global Fashion
Supply Chains – was awarded for
innovation in recycled and circular fibre
made with pre-consumer fabric waste
and end-to-end ‘live’ supply chain
transparency and traceability through its
unique blockchain-based platform
GreenTrack. This case study solves two
unique challenges: mounting textile
waste which is either incinerated or
landfilled due to lack of recycling
technologies, and lack of transparency/
traceability in the scattered, complex and
long fashion supply chains.

Dilip Gaur, Business Director of Birla
Cellulose and Managing Director, Grasim
Industries, said, “We are proud to be
recognised for our innovative Next
Generation solution for upcycling the
textile waste, reducing the pressure on
virgin materials and establishing
transparency in complex fashion value
chain. These efforts are aligned to our
prioritized UN SDG goals and dedicated to
building circular business models which
are based on partnerships that add value
to stakeholders, people and planet.”

Shabnam Siddiqui, Executive Director,
UN Global Compact Network India said,
“The first edition of the awards witnessed
outstanding case studies from prestigious
organisations with notable contributions
to adoption and implementation of
innovative and sustainable supply chain
practices in their organisations. We
congratulate Birla Cellulose for their
pioneering work done in accelerating
circularity and transparency in the supply
chain in a short time, which are high
priority UN Sustainable Development
Goals.”

Birla Cellulose has achieved a path
breaking innovation in manufacturing
viscose fibre “Liva Reviva” using 20%
pre-consumer cotton fabric waste
following the principles of circular
economy. This innovation has the
distinction of Recycled Claim Standard
(RCS) and portrays Birla Cellulose’s
commitment to developing NextGen
solutions.

Through its pioneering platform
GreenTrack based on blockchain
technology, Birla Cellulose along with
their value chain partners tracks material
flow real time in the supply chain of fibre,
from certified forests to the end
consumers. Through simple scan of QR
code end-to-end sustainability journey is
visible to consumers and helps them
make an informed purchase decision.

Since the launch in 2020, multiple
global brands have added Liva Reviva to
their sourcing basket as they take
decisive steps towards circular economy.

Birla Cellulose’s close-knit partnerships
across the global value chains has helped
it to establish ‘viable reverse logistics’
and created higher value for textile waste
for small scale waste recyclers. Birla
Cellulose is prioritizing the increased use
of alternate feedstock like textile waste
and is committed to accelerate
innovations that are aligned with UN
SDGs 2030.

Birla Cellulose operates 12 pulp and
fibre sites globally that apply closed-loop
systems and environmentally efficient
technologies in its process. Five global
advanced research centres equipped with
state-of-the-art research facilities and
pilot plants support the global operations
and markets. Birla Cellulose leads the
industry in sustainable sourcing practices
and is ranked first globally in Canopy’s
Hot Button Report 2020 for sustainable
forestry practices and development of
next-generation solutions for alternative
feedstock. Birla Cellulose collaborates
actively with its value chain partners and
works closely with organisations like
Canopy, SAC, ZDHC, Changing Markets
Foundation, Textile Exchange, WBSCD,
Fashion for Good amongst others to
continually learn and apply the best
practices in its operations and across its
value chain.