Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, fibre brand Tencel has worked tirelessly to bring functional fashion to the masses using technologies that can improve both the functionality and sustainability of its product line. The brand has also announced its partnership with Candiani Denim to develop Tencel Limited Edition with hemp and Coreva fabrics. The fabric is a blend combining the Italian mill’s biodegradable stretch denim technology with the Austrian fiber producer’s novel cellulosic fiber revamped to include a “substantial proportion of hemp pulp.”
This fabric has been used to create 50 oversized women’s shirts available only at Candiani’s Coreva concept store in Milan. The “Made in Italy” shirt also features sustainable trims like organic cotton stitching yarn and raw steel buttons. But what was the base?
Environment first!
Tencel is a cellulosic fibre obtained from wood pulp, while Tencel also being the brand name for lyocell and modal fibres manufactured by the Austrian company Lenzing AG. The eco-friendly fabric is made by dissolving wood pulp, a renewable source, in different chemicals like oxide solution and using a special drying process called spinning, where the process water is recycled. The chemicals are non-toxic, and have a 99% recovery rate, being almost always recycled. Tencel Lyocell and Modal fibres have low environmental impact of production and they end their life by mixing with soil: they are biodegradable and compostable, fully reverting to nature. They require less water in the closed loop production process, and these benefits have led to TENCEL fibres being EU Ecolabel recognised, USDA BioPreferred, being certified by TUV Austria Belgium NV, and awarded the European Award for the Environment.
Tencel fibres undergo various technologies, like Eco Colour, Eco Soft, and Refibra, which makes it beneficial for the planet.
- Eco Colour technology implements the dope-dyeing technique, where colour pigments are deeply embedded in the modal fibres while sparingly using the resources.
- Fabrics produced by Eco Soft technology are bleached without chlorine, and they get an exquisite soft texture. Moreover, in the pulp-to-fibre process used for making of the yarn, the recovery rates of process ingredients are high, making it sustainable.
- The pioneering Refibra technology at Tencel involves the usage of cotton scrapes in the form of cotton pulp added to the wood pulp for the production of Lyocell fibres. The cotton is upcycled effectively, deviating another item from going to the landfills.
“Cool” consumers
At Tencel, pioritising the Earth does not cost comfort of the consumers. The clothes made of Tencel fabrics have a number of positive points.
- The dyed fibres do not fade even after repeated washing, due to the dope-dyeing technology.
- The fabrics are breathable and have higher absorption capacity than cotton. Derived from natural material, the microscopic fibrils of the cellulosic fibres are structured to regulate the absorption and release of moisture. More than just “looking” cool, you can feel the coolness (and dryness, no sweat patches in the clothes) too!
- The wood-based Tencel Modal fibres are soft like feathers. Even after repeated washes, the softness remains.
- Tencel Lyocell fibres are versatile. They have relatively greater strength than the other cellulose fibres.
The brand uses its Lycocell and Modal fibres to create Denim and a range of fabrics for Intimatewear, Luxe, Activewear, and even Footwear. Brands like Paneros, Amour Vert, Organic Basics, Valani and many more use Tencel fabrics to offer sustainable yet trendy clothes to a, eco-conscious buyer.
Read More: Saurabh Chaturvedi: On an Organic Mission
