How Lenzing’s Application Innovation Center Drives Textile Development
As a manufacturer of wood-based fibers, Lenzing Group feels it is our duty to support the industry in adopting and better incorporating our TENCEL™ and ECOVERO™ branded fibers into their collections.
In 2017, Lenzing’s Application Innovation Center in Hong Kong was established to focus on fabric innovation and new applications for our fibers. The development and testing facility is fitted with equipment that would be found at mills, allowing us to try out new methods for spinning, weaving, dyeing and other processes. The fabrics created are shared with brands’ offices in Hong Kong, showcasing what is possible with our fibers.
Each year, hundreds of industry visitors come to the center for tours and workshops. This allows us to engage directly with students, brands and other stakeholders to build a more sustainable supply chain.
Sun Kwok, deputy AIC manager, global application center management at Lenzing Group, spoke with Carved in Blue about the center’s purpose, partnerships and other projects.
Carved in Blue: Could you tell us more about AIC and its functions?
Kwok: Started in July 2017, AIC serves as a development, education and sourcing hub to both our external and internal customers. With a combination of machines like yarn preparation, knitting/weaving and washing and finishing, it enables the AIC team to fulfill the needs of our customers.
AIC is also committed to educating our industrial partners and local students on the benefits and advantages of using TENCEL™ fibers.
Moreover, we are always seeking opportunities to cooperate with our partners in marketing events and promotions.
The three missions of AIC are Development, Education and Collaboration.
Carved in Blue: What was the most interesting project from last year?
Sun: The highlight of last year’s projects were the two campaigns with The Mills Fabrica.
The Mills Fabrica team is our close working partner. Their Fabrica X store is the go-to impact retail store where visitors can experience sustainable living with the latest eco-friendly fashion (techstyle) and food tech (agrifood tech) brands and innovations.
AIC has participated in providing ideas, materials and information with The Mills Fabrica in the campaigns of “Bio-materials” in February and “Denim Futures” in October.
“Biomaterials” was a campaign from January to October 2023, which celebrated the innovations in biomaterials in textiles and lifestyle products.
“Denim Futures,” started from October 2023, explores a range of game-changing industry partners accelerating solutions for the future with sustainable practices throughout the supply chain, from the material, dyeing, finishing and retail to consumer behaviors.
The two campaigns brought great success in raising the public’s awareness of sustainability and also the visibility of the TENCEL™ brand.
Carved in Blue: I know your center is actively involved in education, and Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) is one of your key partners. Do you have any new projects or crossovers with them this year?
Sun: We have been working with HKDI closely throughout these few years. Besides hosting regular fiber introduction seminars to their students, we provide technical recommendations, sustainability approaches and also materials sponsorship to students’ projects.
Last year, we held a few workshops for their students and specially provided a session for their “Denim 6” students. I was very happy to see them learn and use our materials in their collections, which were finally presented on the stage of their graduation fashion show.
For this year, we will keep working with HKDI by not only providing seminars but also assisting the students working on their final year projects or graduation collections.
Students’ ideas and creativity are valuable to us. We will try our best to provide them with our technical knowledge and material support.
Carved in Blue: How do you position AIC in the textile supply chain? What is your function and what opportunity do you see here?
Sun: AIC has built a very strong networking with local universities, supply chain partners and marketing collaboration partners through these seven years.
It is an excellent point to start conversation with customers and invite them to come and visit us.
With such a pleasant space for meeting, as well as having professional industrial setup, we have the capability and expertise to handle different marketing or technical projects.
AIC can be an excellent development, education and sourcing hub to connect different supply chain partners and customers.
Carved in Blue: Would you tell me more about your plans in 2024?
Sun: We will continue to work with our valuable partners like The Mills Fabrica and HKDI for education and collaboration projects.
Connecting different supply chain partners and technical developments will still be our main goals.
Moreover, we will focus more on knitting and denim development projects in 2024 based on our expertise and networks.