Lenzing, the Tencel lyocell manufacturer, is addressing the fashion industry’s reliance on fossil-fuel-based synthetics with a new process that allows the wood-based fiber to create fabrics with stretch and recovery properties.
The fossil-free process involves re-engineering woven fabric composed of Tencel fiber and a fabric pre-treatment, while maintaining its closed-loop production and traceability.
During the wet process, Tencel fibers undergo significant swelling in diameter, leading to increased yarn crimps in the widthwise direction. This translates into a fabric that can stretch with enhanced recovery and does not shrink or wrinkle easily, maintaining a smooth appearance even after home laundering, according to the company.
“Our technical innovation unlocks the inherent potential of Tencel lyocell fibers for producing stretch fabrics that move in harmony with the body. This enhances comfort with easy-to-care properties, making it ideal for lightweight apparel,” said Rex Mok, Lenzing’s vice president of fiber technical marketing and development.
Notorious for taking hundreds of years to decompose, fossil-fuel-based synthetic fibers also contribute to the industry’s release of greenhouse gases and microplastic pollution. Synthetic fibers complicate recycling processes as well. Textile Exchange reports that the production of virgin fossil-based synthetic fibers also rose from 63 million metric tons to 67 million metric tons in 2022.
Fiber producers are growing their portfolio of fossil-fuel-alternative fibers, however. Hyosung offers Creora Bio-Based spandex, which uses industrial corn as an input, replacing a portion of fossil fuels with the agricultural renewable resource. Candiani Denim innovated Coreva, a stretch technology that uses natural rubber instead of elastane made with fossil fuels to create stretch denim.
The Lycra Company and Qore will launch later this year large-scale commercial production of bio-derived spandex using QIRA, a next generation butanediol (BDO) as one of its main ingredients. This will result in 70 percent of Lycra fiber content being derived from annually renewable feedstock and could reduce the carbon footprint of Lycra fiber up to 44 percent versus equivalent product made from fossil-based resources.
Lenzing said it is working with mill partners to develop stretch fabrics that meet the international standard for fabric stretch and recovery properties. With their support, the company said mills and brands will be able to respond to the growing consumer demand for comfortable apparel produced responsibly, particularly in sectors such as sportswear, athleisure garments, loungewear and home textiles.
The new process is mainly developed for shirting fabrics with a fabric weight that is lower than 200 gsm and a finer yarn count, Lenzing told WWD sister publication Rivet. It is because the performance of stretch is best in shirting fabrics, achieving around 20 percent elongation in weft direction under appropriate fabric design and wet processing.
Lenzing is open to exploring the application of this process with denim fabric mills. However, in the company’s initial estimation, the stretch performance will not be as high as it is in fabrics with finer yarn count.
“We are committed to fostering responsible production practices through innovations in the textile sector and are delighted to share this latest innovative development with our fabric mill partners. Together, we are taking a significant stride towards reduced usage of fossil-based materials within the textile value chain while ensuring comfort and material performance,” the company said.