What if we made the innovation and research effort one of our societal priorities, that of accelerating the integration of plant fibers into the materials used in the manufacture of our products ?
Radio-Canada reported that plastic production has doubled in less than 20 years… China’s production alone represents almost a third of the world’s total. More pollution, more transport, more waste, etc.
Not only do plant fibers make it possible to improve the technical characteristics of many products that we need in our daily lives, but they also generate major environmental benefits. Reducing at source and working together to develop our Quebec renewable wealth can only contribute to our economic growth.
What if we did “less” using milkweed and other plant materials ?
Improving a technical characteristic such as making a product lighter already has a very significant positive environmental impact. For example, reducing the weight of an automobile or an airplane certainly reduces its energy consumption.
Also, the carbon footprint of biosourced materials from plant biomass is lower than conventional materials. Especially since the cultivation of plants generating the precious fibers sought after allows carbon to be sequestered in the soil, thus contributing to the mitigation of climate change. Milkweed, as a perennial plant, through its deeper root system, has the capacity to trap more carbon than other annual plants.
In addition, the production of milkweed fiber requires 25% less energy than that of synthetic fibers like polyester. Its extraction does not require any toxic products or water.
Reducing synthetic fibers in a textile product, by replacing them with plant fibers, also reduces the portion of plastic microparticles generated in fresh water and oceans. This way we also reduce the accumulation of non-biodegradable fibers in landfills.
What if this valorization potential was already available in Quebec ?
Promoting the cultivation of agro-industrial plants to promote wasteland or marginal land is more than judicious for our economy and the vitality of our regions.
Wasteland means that it is abandoned and uncultivated. According to a study by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada published in 2008, the area of wastelands amounted to at least 100,000 hectares for all administrative regions of Quebec. The subject is still relevant in 2024, so there is definite potential.
Marginal land is defined rather as land that is not economically interesting to cultivate for conventional production, whether because it is too small or less fertile. In addition, the news regularly tells us that more and more farms are struggling to achieve profitability. Diversifying the income of our agricultural businesses is undoubtedly preferable.
What if we worked together to deploy Quebec industrial plants ?
This is how, in 2024, Interplantes was born. A project led by the MRC des Sources, where actors from the agricultural sector such as Coopérative Monark and the industrial sector get involved and work together on a common vision of development.
As a non-profit organization, Interplantes is committed to promoting the Quebec industrial plants sector and bringing together key players in this sector. Among other things, it works to promote networking between stakeholders, to increase the number of structuring projects and financial partnerships as well as to increase the number of companies using industrial plants. To find out more, follow the Interplantes Facebook or LinkedIn pages.
What if all together we led the deployment of milkweed fiber and Quebec plant materials to success?
Marie-Noël Breton
Entrepreneure agricole, passionnée par la diversité florale et la pollinisation, Marie-Noël Breton a la fibre de l’innovation ! Membre de la coopérative depuis 2017 et aujourd'hui chargée de projet, elle a pour objectifs de promouvoir cette fibre locale aux propriétés exceptionnelles et rassembler les industries québécoises dans ce projet unique au monde !
