Lenzing Denim Team in 2016: A Year of Innovation
Heading into 2017, we have more ways to communicate and work with our partners than ever before.
The past year was striking for the Lenzing denim team, not just because it was a creative year, but also because of the ways the team was able to put ideas into action. Consumers continue to demand sustainability and performance, and our position in the market allows our partners to provide innovative fabrics which can achieve both aspects
Lenzing’s 4S Collection (Softness, Stretch, Science, and Sustainability) features cutting-edge materials to improve modern denim. For the first time, in September, this garment collection was introduced via webinar, entitled “Transforming the Denim Experience.” And in May, Lenzing launched the Carved in Blue blog, a communication platform for brands and a showcase of ideas that has already become indispensable for the industry.
“Reflecting on the past year, 2016 was an exciting time for the Lenzing Denim Team to bring ideas to realization,” says Tricia Carey, Lenzing director of business development for denim. “Having a platform to exchange with the denim community was a milestone to connect with the market, tell our stories, and document our history. We are pleased with the response and support we have received from our partners and friends.“
Another example of Lenzing’s progress in sustainability is the closed-loop production of TENCEL® fiber using recycled cotton post-industrial scraps that would have otherwise been discarded. The team is seeing the sustainability emphasis from fiber to finish from the supply chain and brands.
Denim is just getting warmed up in the athleisure category. This year Lenzing partnered with indigo yarn producer, Unitin, knitting machine manufacturer Santoni and garment finisher, Tonello to create den/IM, I am DENIM, a studio-to-street collection made with stretch indigo denim on seamless knitting machines.
Meanwhile, the message the team took to Kingpins Amsterdam and New York in 2016 was simple: Carved in Blue = Comfort + Nature + Technology. “Comfort” because of the unmatched softness and remarkable flexibility TENCEL® and Lenzing Modal® fibers bring to textiles. “Nature” because of Lenzing’s highly sustainable processes. And “technology” because of the cutting-edge innovations and collaborations that make Lenzing fibers possible and because of the incredible technical fabrics and garments that use TENCEL® and Lenzing Modal®.
Showcased at Kingpins was Future Black with Lenzing Modal® BLACK, a fiber with black pigment added in the dope stage before extrusion process. The fabric shows no sign of color loss even after 50-plus washes, making Lenzing Modal® BLACK not only the future of super-soft denim, but also of colorfastness. Vancouver label, Dish & DUER is using Lenzing Modal® BLACK for their current “Never Fade” collection.
In addition to the topics highlighted above, here’s what Carved in Blue readers loved the most in 2016:
Sustainabilty
Lenzing introduced a new TENCEL® fiber that combines pulp from cotton fabric waste and wood pulp cellulose to drive circular economy solutions. Lenzing is a leader in sustainability using the latest technology. This development also comes with an identification to ensure that the TENCEL® fibers used in the garment are traceable.
Meanwhile, in Brazil, Canatiba led in investing and adapting more environmentally-friendly technologies to keep up with the latest sustainable practices and standards, including emissions reduction and water reuse. The mill also innovated Brazil’s first line of cooling denim with Invista’s COOLMAX®, a range of beauty denim that reduces signs of cellulite, and Maxskin Hi-Comfort, a line of TENCEL® and Lenzing Modal® denim that offers the wearer softness with extreme lightness. TENCEL® is in some 15 percent, and growing, of the mill’s 700 or so fabrics.
At Karachi, Pakistan-based Artistic Milliners, product is born out of a passion for protecting those who make it, inspiring those who wear it and leaving little in the way of waste in its wake. The company produced the “Authentic Alchemie” collection, a collaboration between CORDURA® Brand and TENCEL® that’s making cross-functional denim for today’s on-the-go consumer.
Since 2008, Amsterdam-based G-Star (co-owned by hip-hop star Pharrell Williams) has been a pioneer in sustainable denim. As a European company, the brand is under the watchful eye of consumers there calling for brands to act responsibly and transparently. The company changed the game again in 2012 with its goal to use sustainable materials throughout its entire collection, starting with bestselling styles. Since then, G-Star has been able to increase the share of sustainable materials to around 15 percent of its collection, and counting. The brand uses mostly organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled polyester and TENCEL®, which features in some of its most important denim fabrics.
Travel
Travels to Vietnam and China were eye-opening this year, from illuminating discussions regarding supply chain issues, to new approaches in manufacturing business — like fostering smaller designers and fashion efforts with allowances for smaller runs. TENCEL® in China, as elsewhere, is an important component of multi-blend yarns and fabrics for both comfort and performance. In China, that often means temperature control, but global denim trends like unisex styles and supersoft / super-stretch were also prominent.
Currency fluctuations and trade agreements have also helped propel the garment industry in Mexico, which also enjoys advantages like proximity to market and a stable workforce. Several premium, mid-tier and private label denim brands are sourcing there, and several mills are using TENCEL® in fabrics.
“We look forward to more ideas, ponderings, and travels in 2017”, says Tricia Carey.”There are now industry discussions that consumers are seeking new styles to replace their yoga pants. We have some exciting stories ahead so keep an eye peeled to Carved in Blue.”