TEXTILES.ORG
Austrian textiles and nonwovens innovator Lenzing AG is launching a new TENCEL® fiber made from cotton waste fabrics. According to a report in the online industry newsletter Textiles Updates, the initiative will drive “circular economy” solutions in the textile industry.
The new generation of lyocell fibers will the most ecological wood-based fiber on the planet, says the company, combining cotton waste recycling with Lenzing’s closed-loop TENCEL production on a commercial scale. Lenzing is the first manufacturer to offer such cellulose fibers incorporating recycled materials on a commercial scale.
TENCEL has been awarded the EU award for the most eco-friendly production process based on 99.7 percent closed-loop circulation in the production and use of bio-energy, the newsletter notes. The renewable raw material of wood from sustainable forestry is another key advantage in terms of sustainability for TENCEL. The new TENCEL fiber combines the recycling of cotton waste fabrics and the most sustainable TENCEL technology; the recycling of cotton waste fabrics into virgin textile TENCEL fibers offers a practical solution to enable circular economy in the apparel industry.
The new TENCEL fiber will not be sold directly to yarn or fabric manufacturers; rather, it will be exclusively offered to leading retailers and brands that in turn could produce their garment collections in the most sustainable way by engaging the right value chain partners. This ensures close co-operation and transparency in the entire textile value chain.
At the current time, the reports notes, the new fiber is being tested with selected brand manufacturers and retailers and is at the point of being introduced to the market.