How Lenzing Japan Uses Super Zero on TENCEL™ for Super Soft Jeans
Denim that includes TENCEL™ has an inherently soft hand feel, but a spinning innovation is making jeans even softer.
The Super Zero technique developed in Japan uses twisting and hydrothermal treatments to create airy yarns that are more absorbent and fluffier. While more often used for cotton, Lenzing’s team in Japan is working to bring Super Zero to TENCEL™ fibers.
We spoke with our colleagues in Japan to hear more about the benefits of this process, and how they are applying it to denim.
Carved in Blue: Could you please introduce the team to our Carved in Blue followers?
Lenzing Japan: The Japan teams are responsible for business development and marketing for Lenzing fibers and textiles in Japan.
We have been working with Japanese denim producers for the past few years to bring the new era in the Japanese denim market, to push TENCEL™ denim to support the denim industry, as well as creating more opportunities for all value chain partners of Lenzing.
Partnering with Ys Deco Japan, represented by Yoshi Yamada, we have successfully been creating more opportunities and developments in the past three years.
Yoshi Yamada is well known in the Japanese industry, starting his textile career from spinners to fiber producers, then a fabric converter specialized in denim. He is well acquainted as the person who has penetrated TENCEL™ Modal micro blended Japanese denim to LA premium brands in the past, about a decade ago. Since then, he is in favor of Lenzing fibers and had various developments including TENCEL™ Modal X Color technology and TENCEL™ Modal micro AIR. We started the stronger partnership three years ago; since then, it has enhanced the power of opportunity creations for Lenzing fibers in the Japanese denim industry.
Carved in Blue: What is the Super Zero concept, and what makes it special? What first made you want to try this warp method?
Lenzing Japan: Super Zero is the patented yarn-twist technology, which is owned by Japanese twister Asano Nenshi Co. The Super Zero yarn is the twisting yarn composed of water-soluble yarn and spun yarn. The bulkiness and airy yarn are achieved by re-twisting in opposite directions in a high ratio, then heat setting the yarn to fix. During the fabric production, the Super Zero yarn is knitted or woven, then goes to the setting process, during which the water-soluble yarn starts to dissolve, and the yarn starts to swell and become bulky and soft.
This SUPER ZERO cotton yarn is commercially used in towel applications. It is very well accepted in the local market since the towels are softer, airy and bulkier, with higher absorbency compared to conventional cotton towels.
We came up with the idea of using this technologized yarn in a denim application, and replaced cotton with TENCEL™, to produce rigid but super soft denim with TENCEL™.
Carved in Blue: Could you share some hints about the technique behind Super Zero? Were there any trials and errors to arrive at this technique?
Lenzing Japan: It is the twisted yarn, so finding the best number of twists, appropriate weaving constructions and finishing/setting conditions were challenging. There were a few trials and errors for almost 1.5 years from brainstorming, then we came up with the right fabric, which we started to promote in Spring/Summer 2024.
Carved in Blue: Which fibers have you used for Super Zero? What are the limitations of Super Zero, if any?
Lenzing Japan: Cotton yarn is already commercially available, but now we are trying to develop with TENCEL™ Lyocell and TENCEL™ Modal. It is not limited to 100 percent TENCEL™, as the second trial we are working on TENCEL™ lyocell/linen and TENCEL™ lyocell/silk for different applications such as knits.
The yarn count starts from Ne6 up to 120, and even stretch yarn can be produced.
Carved in Blue: What benefits does Super Zero bring to jeans? And are there any quality tradeoffs or undesired technical features?
Lenzing Japan: It is also the benefit that the yarn with Super Zero technology will become softer and bulkier after several usages/washes. It is the force reaction of yarn which tries to twist back to where it was originally fixed. This force-back makes the space in yarn and swells more, which ends on fabric becoming softer, airier and more comfortable. The natural stretch can also be achieved without using elastane. However, it needs careful calculation on weaving and knitting, which make the fabric unique and special.
Carved in Blue: Where is this range available commercially?
Lenzing Japan: Super Zero towels are available in Japan and also in some Asian countries.
As for denim, the product has just launched in the Japanese market. We have showcased the fabric for the first time to the global market during Denim PV.
We already have many inquiries about the fabrics, and we go beyond the developments and adopted TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology, which even makes the fabric extremely soft and sustainable.
Carved in Blue: Are any brands using Super Zero for their denim?
Lenzing Japan: Some local denim brands have adopted the cotton denim with Super Zero already, and now we are trying to upgrade with TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology or TENCEL™ Lyocell.