Austrian fiber manufacturer Lenzing, together with its partners Artistic Milliners from Pakistan, Canatiba from Brazil and Textil Santanderina from Spain, has started the first phase of a new recycling initiative of Tencel fibers.
Aiming to advance the circular economy in the global textile industry, the new initiative kicks off the commercial-scale production of denim fabrics from Tencel-branded pre-consumer mechanically recycled Lyocell waste, using no water or chemicals. New Tencel Lyocell fibers are known for their closed production process, in which sustainably produced wood pulp is converted into cellulosic fibers with high resource efficiency and a low carbon footprint.
“Brands and consumers count on us to lead the shift towards a more sustainable industrial value chain,” said Tuncay Kılıçkan, Lenzing’s Head of Global Business Development, Denim, in a statement.
“While we continually look for ways to improve circularity in various components of the textile industry, our like-minded, decades-long value chain partners have innovatively discovered the mechanical recycling of Tencel Lyocell fibers in denim production. While such a concept is still relatively new for the entire industry, the development of Tencel’s ‘Fiber Recycling Initiative’ aims to promote the benefits and unlock the full potential of the new circular fabric,” adds Kılıçkan.
The mechanically recycled Tencel Lyocell fibers are “ideal for denim” according to Canatiba’s product development team. “Unlike cotton, the new fabric retains its properties compared to new fibres, retaining length, durability and all physical properties, while also being super soft to the touch. It is made using a completely clean and sustainable process that uses no water or chemicals. In Brazil, mechanically recycled lyocell fibers have great potential to catch on with big brands and department stores,” the team said.
Fabrics made from mechanically recycled Tencel Lyocell fibers feature a “cotton-like” aesthetic while retaining the core properties of Tencel Lyocell fibers such as breathability, soft drape, skin-friendliness and long-lasting comfort. The fibers are also identifiable in the end products, which ensures traceability and transparency of the production processes.
“We believe that the future of the textile industry depends on sustainability and circular economy, which can also guarantee the survival of denim,” says José Antonio Mazorra, CSR manager at Textil Santanderina.
“Awareness of reducing the environmental impact in our sector is growing, driven in particular by industry trends towards circular economy and sustainable production practices. I expect that innovations and technological improvements around the circular economy, including the stages of collection, selection and recycling, will lead to a greater need for mechanically recycled cellulosic fibers,” concludes Mazorra.