The wreck was discovered under a parking lot during a renovation of a hotel in Oulu, central Finland, in 2019. The surviving timber structure identified it as a cargo ship and it was radiocarbon dated to the 17th century, making it the oldest shipwreck discovered in this part of Finland. It was dubbed Hahtiperä after Oulu’s first harbor.
First, the outer, impurity-containing layer was removed to expose the wood’s core, which was then shredded and processed into dissolving pulp. The pulp was subsequently transformed into fiber through the environmentally friendly Ioncell® process, which was developed at Aalto University in partnership with Helsinki University. Ioncell fibres have a silky feel and are stronger than cotton. In addition to new and reclaimed wood, the Ioncell® method can utilize recycled materials like paper, cardboard, textile waste, and straw for fiber production.
The finished yarn from the wreck has a subtle sheen and a beautiful brown tone. [Aalto researcher Inge] Schlapp-Hackl explains that the yarn remains undyed and unbleached, with its color directly originating from the Hahtiperä wreck.
‘The pulp made from the wreck contained very few impurities and was surprisingly easy to process. This project demonstrated that the Ioncell® method can be used to produce fibre from practically any cellulose-based material.”
* This article was originally published here
