TENCEL™ Denim Mill Update: China
To see the versatility and value proposition of TENCEL™ fibers, look no further than the denim world. Mills are leveraging the wood-based fibers to create jean materials that are soft yet strong, with a lower impact.
TENCEL™ Lyocell is made from trees using a closed-loop process that captures and reuses 99 percent of solvents and water used. In addition to the eco-responsible production behind TENCEL™ Lyocell, our REFIBRA™ technology enables circularity by replacing a portion of inputs with chemically recycled cotton waste.
Carved in Blue caught up with mills in China to hear how they are using TENCEL™ and TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ in their collections. More from Advance Denim, Blue Diamond, Freedom Denim, Prosperity Textile and Tat Fung below.
ADVANCE DENIM
China Mark Ix, director of North American marketing Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim? Mark: Advance Denim has TENCEL™ Lyocell and REFIBRA™ technology in our Greenlet sustainable collection and also our Comfy collection of soft comfort stretch styles.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Mark: TENCEL™ is a key fiber in our innovation. Its brings a super soft hand and also sustainable cellulosic fiber that is much needed, so it is both form and function. We are also adding TENCEL™ to many of our recycled and finespun hemp to styles to increase the sustainability and softness.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Mark: We have many new REFIBRA™ styles and we feel that REFIBRA™ is the go-to fiber to increase circularity. We have a heavyweight that combines recycled cotton as well as REFIBRA™ and eco T400 to create a super soft 12 oz style with over 60 percent recycled fiber that has exceptional comfort stretch.
BLUE DIAMOND
China
Gary You, director of strategy and product development
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Gary: We use TENCEL™ Lyocell throughout our collection. We blend it with recycled cotton, hemp, organic cotton and other fibers. The collection that highlights TENCEL™ Lyocell is called Diamond Blends. This collection focuses on luxurious refined yarn characters and a soft hand. We use TENCEL™ fibers on our best blended articles.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Gary: TENCEL™ Lyocell brings value and sophistication to the collection. When our clients see TENCEL™ fibers as a content, they know we are working with the best quality raw materials.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Gary: Again, we have REFIBRA™ Technology throughout our collections. We have blended them in our stretch qualities with recycled cotton.
FREEDOM DENIM
China
Jason Gao, general manager for marketing
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Jason: TENCEL™ Lyocell and TENCEL™ Modal cover a wide mote of product groups. The fiber is in everything from the Soft and Supple to the Vintage and Marbled, the Low Impact Denim and My Size Technology Group.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Jason: It offers softness and suppleness to the collection, and also it brings a sustainable concept to the collection.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Jason: We make REFIBRA™ Technology into our My Size Technology Group, allowing not only fit forgiveness through soft squeeze compression but additionally being able to utilize multiple body sizes in the same jean through expansive stretch technology.
PROSPERITY TEXTILE
China
Andy Zhong, marketing director
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Andy: It is a super stretch in the Ultra Stretch Max category.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Andy: Thanks to the TENCEL™ Lyocell, we have been able to max out the feeling of comfort that Ultra Stretch typically offers without compromising on the way the fabric feels and fits. The TENCEL™ fibers add unparalleled drape and softness to the high stretch, improving freedom of movement and resulting in a soft, luxurious denim that feels like a second skin.
The TENCEL™ Lyocell also adds a sustainable dimension to the line by reducing Prosperity Textile’s water and carbon footprint.
TAT FUNG/PANTHER DENIM
China
Tim Huesemann, sales director
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Tim: Denim demand of our served brands covers two key areas currently:
Our theme Marbelous as well as our new theme Comphy (natural stretch) for the progressive fashionable and often younger brand/consumer who loves vintage marbled denim with our newly added softness by TENCEL™ Lyocell and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose. Mono materials and 100 percent cellulosic blends are key here.
Everybody Stretch as well as the latest EzyMax group cover our high demand in denim with ultra-high elasticity levels of 80 percent to 90 percent elongation and strong recovery values, and now newly adding TENCEL™ Lyocell and REFIBRA™ Technology to achieve the highest possible level of comfort and soft hand feel on the market.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Tim: For sure that adding TENCEL™ Lyocell brings extra softness to the fabric and increases the sustainability initiative of the collection. Nevertheless, it is not just a fiber for us. You can consider it already being part of our Identity as it is a major driver for our strong success with many key global brands. We love to “play” around it and create new denim and prepared for dyeing (PFD) fabric concepts with it continuously.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Tim: REFIBRA™’ Technology fiber idea of using post- and pre-consumer waste fits strongly into our Earth group.
Our latest spinning innovation to create a new “P/Recycled Cotton” yarn to blend it into our core denim will be further elevated with REFIBRA™ Technology. Other than REFIBRA™, we are also going to develop TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology in our Earth group.