Denim Developers See More Value in Blending Tencel Fibres

Standards keep changing, as do demands of people. Also, by activists and other stakeholders. In this context, what is Lenzing planning to improve its own yardsticks? Please elaborate.
Lenzing AG has a proven legacy of over 80 years and our sustainable production of botanic fibres has remained as the centrepiece of strategic focus of our core business. We have continued to research and innovate on clean technologies thus strengthening our core drives as we progressed on to becoming a trusted brand without impacting the environment. We have offered quite a few new innovations as a part of this vision:

• Lenzing unveiled pioneering Tencel Modal fibre with Indigo Color technology.
• Lenzing collaborated with Orange Fiber as part of new Tencel Limited Edition initiative.
• Lenzing diversified denim offering with launch of new matte Tencel branded lyocell fibres.
• Lenzing expanded fibre identification technology to Tencel branded fibres.

The pandemic has also not just accelerated debate about supply chains and traceability, there is now a lot of activity in this field. How do you see overall denim trade being impacted? At a company level, how does it affect Lenzing?
According to the ‘Sustainability and Circularity in the Textile Value Chain’ by United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) published in 2020, the textile sector alone accounts for approximately 8% of world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This translates to approximately >3.3 billion mT emitted greenhouse gases (GHGs) per year. The global textile industry consumes around 215 trillion litres of water. This consumption has its highest share in China (34%), followed by India (12%) and USA (5%).

The global fashion industry is valued at US$1.3 trillion dollars and employs more than 300 million people globally along the textile value chain. In India, the textile industry makes up for approximately 5% of the total GDP and these facts only highlight the urgency for the fashion and textile industry to transition to a more sustainable, socially inclusive, and circular model and denims is a sizable contributor to this. The need for circularity is very real need, in fact it’s the need of the hour. Denim jeans have to address a lot of areas in order to become more eco-friendly clothing items. Making a single pair of denim jeans can consume 1,500 litres of water!

At Lenzing AG, we identified this issue a long time back and have worked towards developing denim innovations that minimise impact on the environment. A range of denim products now can be blended with our Tencel lyocell and modal fibres that create superior experience of comfort, durability, and versatility but with substantially lower volume of water wastage and impact on the environment.

The overall denim industry is said to have been adversely affected by cotton prices. So, has the demand for Tencel fibre gone up in this context? How have you been affected?
Yes, since cotton prices are above Tencel fibre prices, the denim developers see more value in blending Tencel fibres. This not only comes with cost competitiveness but also imparts superior features to the denim. Cotton is key raw material in making denims and the recent surge in cotton prices is certainly being felt by the denim industry.  However, one must also note that it is not just cotton’s unprecedented inflation that is drilling holes into the pockets of denim makers. The cost of dyes and other costs within the supply chain are also contributing to the denim industry’s woes.

While cotton will always play a central role in denim fabric production, industry players are rethinking their reliance on cotton widening their menu of fibres, with sustainable alternatives such as Tencel fibres.