How Artistic Milliners Is Using TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color Technology
TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology is opening up a new way to make blue jeans.
As a wood-based cellulosic fiber, TENCEL™ Modal is created by dissolving wood pulp into a viscous substance and then sending this solution through spinnerets to create fibers. Instead of dyeing yarns once they have been spun—which is a resource-heavy process—TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology combines the dye into the spinning solution during production. Incorporating pigment when modal is in its liquid form has sustainability benefits, but it also gives the fibers the added property of rub fastness since the indigo hue is locked into the fibers.
TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology was just launched in February 2021, and mills are beginning to explore the fibers’ use in their own fabric designs. Baber Sultan, director at Pakistan-based manufacturer Artistic Milliners, spoke with Carved in Blue about their collection using TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology.
Carved in Blue: Tell us about the fabrics you developed with TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology.
Baber: We developed a small capsule with TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology. These are midweight comfort stretch fabrics with the potential of diversified use from loose-fit jeans to more sporty, clean looking fabric. TENCEL(TM) Modal fiber brings a lounge aspect, which is nicely embedded into denim construction and brings in another dimension. We are calling this collection Zephyr.
Carved in Blue: Why did you want to develop this range?
Baber: Pre-dyed TENCEL(TM) Modal with Indigo Color Technology is a very sustainable fiber and eliminates dyeing and water usage in dyeing at the mill level altogether. Besides that, it brings softness, high colorfastness and an athleisure feel to fabric. Considering all of these properties, we decided to develop this exciting range.
Carved in Blue: How was the wash development of your samples?
Baber: Ideally, we shouldn’t be washing these fabrics so much. They look cool even in a rinse wash, however they still bring some character on further wash.
Carved in Blue: Do you see this developing into other styles in your collection? What’s next?
Baber: For now, we want to run tests and hope it will evolve, and with collaborations it will morph into several categories.