Tapping Canada’s Hemp Market

Zylotex™ is an emerging Canadian start-up that is reshaping the future of materials by transforming Canadian hemp in an innovative lyocell process to produce biodegradable fibers for specialized textiles. “By leveraging local sources of fiber, we support onshoring and strengthening the Canadian value chain,” says Lelia Lawson, Founder and Chief Technology Officer. “Our commitment to the bioeconomy and the Canadian textile industry ensures we meet the highest standards of sustainability and performance. Moreover, the design of our products caters to the global textile market, is suitable for international applications, and paves the way for a greener future.”

Why does this matter? “Today, global textiles drive deforestation, pollute waterways, and fill landfills with microplastics, while cotton and synthetics dominate supply,” she says.

With over two decades of experience in industrial personal protective clothing, Lawson brings deep expertise in textiles, product development, and quality systems. Working alongside local partners, early experiments demonstrated that agricultural byproducts – specifically bast and hurd from hemp stalks – could be transformed into high-quality lyocell pulp, now known as ZyloPulp™.

Zylotex also formed a pivotal partnership with Plantae Technologies, positioning the company to move from pilot to commercial scale, bringing Canadian hemp-based lyocell one step closer to market.

Tackling Hemp’s Challenge in Unison

Zylotex focuses on supply-chain collaboration and technical innovation rather than working in isolation. Hemp presents wellknown hurdles for manufacturers, including variability in fiber quality, higher lignin levels in oilseed cultivars, and limited infrastructure for processing. Zylotex collaborates with its partners across the value chain to develop a system that addresses these challenges and bridges the gap between agricultural supply and industrial fiber production.