Lenzing Teams with OceanSafe on Next-Gen Performance Textiles
Synthetic materials make a number of contributions to performance textiles: They are durable, they can add stretch and they are easy to care for. However, conventional synthetics come with a major environmental challenge: they don’t biodegrade.
OceanSafe is changing this with its naNea co-polyester that will biodegrade1 in an ocean environment. In a new collaboration, Lenzing is joining forces with OceanSafe on a next-generation yarn featuring naNea blended with TENCEL™ Lyocell – A100 fibers. The two fiber makers found a “synergy” in their similar sustainability profiles. Like naNea, TENCEL™ Lyocell biodegrades2 in water as well as environments like soil.
The yarn co-developed by the partners leans on the fibers’ respective properties. TENCEL™ Lyocell – A100 brings softness, moisture control3 and resistance to odor-causing bacteria,4 while the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Gold -certified naNea gives the yarn tear strength, endurance and quick drying capabilities.
“In developing this new yarn, we made sure that it isn’t just environmentally responsible, but also improved performance, functionality and durability,”2 said Matthias Fuchs, CMO at OceanSafe. “We believe making responsible choices should feel like an upgrade, not a compromise. This yarn provides brands with a scalable, plug-and-play solution that supports their environmental commitments while enhancing garment performance.”
To debut this partnership and showcase how the yarn could be used, Lenzing and OceanSafe created a sportswear capsule collection spanning performance attire and athleisure—from yoga wear to fleece jackets. This collection is making its first appearance at Performance Days in Munich, and it will also be on view at Functional Fabric Fair in Portland from Nov. 11 to 13.
“Creating this collection was truly a joint effort that brought together experts from across the entire industry,” said Nicole Schram, head of global technical business development at Lenzing Group. “We had Tearfil working their magic with yarn development, Impetus bringing their know-how for amazing knits and seamless fabrics, Kingwhale perfecting the fleece that feels so good against your skin and G-Loft Premium Insulation contributing with their filling technology for jackets. This collection is a testament to the power of collaboration in driving meaningful change1 and scaling innovative solutions.”5
In addition to clothing, the yarn could be used for categories like footwear, home textiles, bags and technical textiles.
With a growing consumer and industry awareness of the impact of microplastics polluting our oceans, biodegradable fabrics offer a solution, preventing fiber fragments from persisting in the water.
- Biodegradable in the ocean: Marine biodegradable in 99 days by >93% (according to ASTM D6691-17, Lab: Archa Srl, Pisa, Italy, Test No. 22302453, https://www.archa.it/) https://www.oceansafe.co/textile-materials/nanea
- TENCEL™ Lyocell standard fibers are certified by TÜV AUSTRIA as biodegradable in soil, freshwater and marine environments, and compostable under home and industrial conditions.
- The structure of TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers allows the absorption and release of moisture. In the final textile product, these effective moisture controlling properties support a drier microclimate on the skin, increasing the wearer’s thermal comfort.
- TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers absorb sweat efficiently, resulting in reduced moisture on the fiber surface. This creates a less favorable environment for the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
- naNea’s novel polymer structure provides built-in moisture management with higher hydrophilicity, absorbency and fast drying. It matches PET in abrasion resistance, dimensional stability and outperforms in UV fastness, confirmed by a comparative study at the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (August 2025). In addition, DTNW Krefeld tests (November 2022) verified naNea’s inherently flame-retardant nature with a significantly higher LOI than PET.