TENCEL™ Denim Mill Update: Pakistan
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-friendly 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 Pakistan to hear how they are using TENCEL™ and TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ in their collections. More from AGI Denim, Artistic Denim Mills, Artistic Fabric Mills, Azgard9, Crescent Bahuman, Naveena Denim Mills, SM Denim, and US Denim below.
AGI DENIM
Pakistan
Henry Wong, vice president, product development and marketing
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Henry: We are actually using TENCEL™ lyocell throughout the premium denim collection with blends ranging from low percentage to 100 percent. Our 45 percent TENCEL™ lyocell blends are especially interesting because we are making some beautiful vintage-inspired denims with them. One such product combines TENCEL™ lyocell with our 3D Marble technology, which creates a fabric full of vintage marble character and the soft, luscious—if denim can be described as that—feeling of TENCEL™ fiber.
We also made another version of this without the 3D Marble technology and we put a retro fabric finish on it by removing all the modern finishing chemicals and techniques. This combination of a rustic finish and a refined fiber like TENCEL™ Lyocell created a modern reimagining of vintage denim.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Henry: We consider TENCEL™ Lyocell to be a responsibly produced fiber that has the value add of softness and luster. When we design with TENCEL™, we also feel invested in a product that continuously innovates to be better.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ technology?
Henry: We continue to use REFIBRA™ technology in our custom developments where we desire a recycle-source carrier fiber that can enable the use of alternative, responsible fibers that are shorter in staple length.
ARTISTIC DENIM MILLS
Pakistan
Mubashir Shakoor, senior manager marketing and sales
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Mubashir: We named our TENCEL™ collection the ADM Instasculpt Collection. We combined the softness and luxe of TENCEL™ with DualFx technology from Lycra to give it a perfect match.
It brings us the fit, feel and comfort.
The collection is available in indigo, black, black black and twill for color jeans.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Mubashir: We have converted the Instasculpt collection with REFIBRA™ and LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose as well.
ARTISTIC FABRIC MILLS
Pakistan
Towonda Vaughns, global design director
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Towonda: Our TENCEL™ Denim is actually a part of a few concepts, most notably “Thinking Of The Future.” This is our umbrella that encompasses a few topics such as zero virgin cotton through the use of post-industrial or post-consumer waste fibers, hemp, zero waste water, zero dyeing.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Towonda: Besides the inherent softness, the use of TENCEL™ Lyocell has been beneficial for durability and strength, especially when blending with our other fibers such as PIW or PCW.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Towonda: Yes, we are using REFIBRA™ in our Sustainable Vintage collection. This collection is an extension of our zero virgin cotton initiative in which we are blending REFIBRA™ with post industrial waste and elastane.
AZGARD9
Pakistan
Jason Eis, vice president sales and marketing North America
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Jason: Soft Thrills is our collection based on TENCEL™ fibers. It is truly the best of both worlds, where quality and sustainability go hand-in-hand. Azgard9 has ever been a step ahead when it comes to the preservation of our planet, and we are continuously working on upgrading our facility in terms of sustainable raw materials and processes. These abatement efforts ensure the lowest possible carbon footprints.
This collection has been developed following our vision to bring LITE (low impact technologies) to fashion. The LITE ensures remarkably reduced consumption of water and energy, thus saving natural resources for the generations to come. Further, the products are developed targeting minimum use of water and chemicals at the garment’s washing stage.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Jason: Our new articles based on TENCEL™ display enhanced performance and sustainability.
One is a power stretch cross-hatch article composed of TENCEL™, organic cotton and dual Fx stretch technology. It brings performance, super soft touch and an authentic denim look; ideal for men’s skinny jeans
Another piece is a lightweight rigid article for shirting made of TENCEL™ fibers and unbleached cottonized hemp. This product is naturally anti-microbial and anti-aging, as hemp is good at UV absorption so it takes care of your skin. This 100 percent biodegradable product is designed in a way that the more you wear it, the softer it will be.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Jason: AzGreen is the collection encapsulating circular economy concepts. In order to foster cleaner oceans and landfills, it is imperative to give second life to plastic wastes. Our new article in the AzGreen collection is a high stretch denim composed of Repreve, REFIBRA™ technology, organic cotton and elastane. The product carries super soft handle as well as excellent stretch and recovery properties.
CRESCENT BAHUMAN (CBL)
Pakistan
Fabric team
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Fabric team: We call this range as “Summer Surf.” With Summer Surf, one can enjoy the ease of moving around with brighter, lighter, breathable and draped outfits.
Genetically designed for softness, ease of movement and a lightweight feel. The iconic sheen and luster of TENCEL™ enhances its outlook to energize the trend, keeping all grid sustainable and ecologically correct.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Fabric team: To begin with, it’s much lighter to the skin with a naturally smooth touch and sheen (luster). On top of that, its durability and long-lasting property enable extra life of the denims. As the world is moving towards more sustainable alternates to account for climate change and endangered life on earth, sustainable solutions are always a better choice.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Fabric team: Yes, we are further enhancing our salt pepper and marble look denims. Adding REFIBRA™ blends into our core authentic look fabrics to make them softer and smoother to touch and feel. These pandemic times have made us work on articles which can be worn the entire day without compromising on look and feel. REFIBRA™ perfectly aligns with our ethos of sustainable materials and circular manufacturing.
NAVEENA (NDM)
Pakistan
Berke Aydemir, head of research and development and technical sales
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Berke: We use TENCEL™ in different concepts: Holistic Denim, Fusion and Canna Denim.
Holistic Denim is a mix of sustainable fibers and sustainable processes, taking into account as many factors as possible in the design process, such as the market demand, technological abilities of today, consumer trends and brand attitudes. The end products are sustainable products that are relevant to current market realities.
The Holistic Denim line uses the most sustainable fiber alternatives in the market, such as TENCEL™ fibers. In addition to sustainable fibers, it also offers Naveena’s most sustainable dyeing and finishing process combinations, Horizon.
Our Fusion line offers super soft fabrics thanks to Naveena’s unique blend of fibers including TENCEL™, which gives the fabric a silky touch and maximum comfort.
Made by cottonized hemp composition, our Canna-Denim line offers durable, breathable fabrics with low environmental impact and water efficiency. Canna-Denim fabrics also have antibacterial properties, and no pesticides are used in the raw material production.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Berke: TENCEL™ Lyocell has always been a perfect choice for blending, and our fabrics showcase just how well it pairs with other fibers such as hemp.
TENCEL™ brings low environmental impact and also natural comfort, softness, quality, performance and versatility. It is an ingredient brand which reinforces fabrics’ benefits on the consumer side as well.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Berke: We offer REFIBRA™ in our Holistic Denim line as well.
SM DENIM
Pakistan
Rameez Rizvi, senior manager marketing
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Rameez: Wood-based cellulosic fiber TENCEL™ Lyocell was eternally a main part of SM Denim’s supply chain, as sustainability and circularity was the point of focus even before the consumers’ demand towards eco-conscious products.
SM Denim stands out to be the only mill to have the lightest TENCEL™ Denim weighing only 2.75 oz. Moreover, we have three different ranges with a plethora of TENCEL™ products. TENCEL™’s breathable, sustainable and moisture-absorbent properties combined with different materials proffers novelty performance-based fabrics in our Denovation series. Its soft and velvety feel is the perfect ingredient for our Allure Collection, whereas the sheeny lustrous look and fluid draping properties of TENCEL™ make it the best candidate in our Featherlite series.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Rameez: The Covid-19 pandemic was an alarming reminder for both consumers and manufacturers to reconsider product and process choices respectively. By using TENCEL™ Lyocell made from sustainable wood sources in our collection, we offer products that are premium, comfortable, supple, breathable and ensure customers the satisfaction of an eco-responsible product.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Rameez: REFIBRA™ in our collection is molding the pipe dream of 100 percent circular and sustainable fashion into reality. Our Impact series that focuses on fabric with lowered environmental impact contains up to 70 percent of articles made in REFIBRA™. Two of our recent and worth mentioning articles are Riddick and Barrow. In Riddick, REFIBRA™ and cotton are put together to give the best representation of modernized vintage with a marbellous retro look. Barrow is our 100 percent sustainable article where REFIBRA™ is combined with organic cotton, Coolmax eco-made and recycled Lycra to form a product that lasts long, provides thermal insulation and gives a guilt-free denim experience.
US DENIM
Pakistan
Intizar Ali, senior manager research and business development
Carved in Blue: What is your group name/theme for TENCEL™ Denim?
Intizar: Theme name for TENCEL™ denim is “Dulcet,” which means sweet songs of softness. Riche de dulcet is everything about softness and a comfy feel without compromising the real jeans character of a product. In a disposable age, a real, soft and smooth denim experience is something we live for.
Carved in Blue: What does TENCEL™ Lyocell bring to your collections?
Intizar: Our perfect recipe for this collection combines all the goodness that makes jeans feel luxurious and buttery soft without losing its vibrancy and shape.
It’s a match made in heaven; the softest, sustainable alternative plant fiber blended with cotton for breathability.
Spun, woven and finished for natural long-lasting caress with enhanced recovery for stretch stability.
Carved in Blue: Do you have any new developments with REFIBRA™ Technology?
Intizar: We have developed some cotton-free products which are REFIBRA™ rich, and we are marketing this as sustainable denim with zero cotton.
Fusion has an authentic look and is soft to touch; yes, you can have it all. Our “fusion” is your complete denim experience.
Butter Denim—as the name implies, get ready to feel buttery soft texture of denim. We know this is unheard of, but this is what we have created by using special yarns containing TENCEL™/REFIBRA™ blends and different construction of the fabric.
