Orange Fiber

Based in Italy, Orange Fiber develops a viscose fabric from the byproducts of citrus juice production such as peels, pulp, and pith. The cellulose fiber extracted from citrus byproducts is converted into a silk-like yarn using a proprietary technology, which subsequently can be blended with any other type of yarn. The company produces four types of material: Orange Fiber Will, Orange Fiber Poplin, Orange Fiber Black Jersey, and Orange Fiber White Jersey,  each with varying contents of orange fiber.

The first prototypes of the fabric were launched in September 2014 in Milan. In December 2015, the first pilot plant dedicated to the extraction of citrus pulp opened in Sicily, where production commenced. In October 2020, the company opened its second manufacturing facility in Sicily.

In April 2017, fashion designer Salvatore Ferragamo partnered with Orange Fiber to use the latter’s fabric in its clothing. In April 2019, the company collaborated with Swedish fashion retailer H&M to create clothing under H&M’s “Conscious Exclusive Collection,” a premium collection made exclusively with recycled and sustainable materials. Orange Fiber material was also used in a limited edition tie collection by the artisan brand E. Marinella in June 2019. 

Between April and July 2019, the company raised EUR 650,000 (approximately USD  720,000) from an equity crowdfunding campaign in Italy to set up a plant to increase the production capacity of Orange Fiber to 60 tons of cellulose per year.