Year in Review: 2021 TENCEL™ Denim Team Highlights

Year in Review: 2021 TENCEL™ Denim Team Highlights

“Out with the old, in with the new,” does not really happen in the denim industry because the old is our heritage. However, reflecting on the past year, there was plenty of new.

I coin 2020 as the year of uncertainty. This year, 2021, is the year of adaption as we dealt with hybrid work, restrictions and remembering to “go off mute.”

As the year comes to a close, here are some of the standout TENCEL™ denim team moments from the last 12 months.

Fiber Innovation

Back in 1992, TENCEL™ Lyocell was born as an innovation that used closed-loop production to transform wood into fiber. The ability to innovate from the foundation of wood-based cellulosic fibers is endless. As a leader in innovation, it requires a keen ear to the market challenges, ability to transfer this within technical abilities, and wide internal and external coordination. It starts with an idea, which needs a clear business case, a systematic plan, and a dedicated team to test and test some more.

The TENCEL™ denim team sponsored the development of two fiber innovations as solutions for market challenges. In February, we introduced TENCEL™ Modal with Indigo Color technology, creating a new means of applying indigo to achieve water, chemical and energy savings. For this release, we partnered with Dystar, Cone Denim, Candiani and House of Gold by Adriano Goldschmied. 

Then in October, we launched versatility in denim with matte TENCEL™ Lyocell to reduce the shine and offer new design opportunities. For years, I have heard mills and brands say they use TENCEL™ Lyocell chambray as a year-round base cloth, but could develop more textiles and garments if there was no shine. That led us to work with mills around the world to support this development, including Advance Denim, Artistic Fabric Mills, Arvind, Kipas, KG Denim, Panther Denim and Textil Santanderina. The lack of physical trade shows presented another challenge for us to make this “launch” interesting through digital means, with the support of Kingpins Show.

Collaboration Footprint

Working collaboratively, instead of individually, helps improve productivity and gives a sense of purpose. I am glad to say our collaboration footprint grew to a vast network of creative and dedicated people. From coast to coast in the U.S., we worked with our friends at Kingpins Show, and we headed to South America with Denim City São Paulo. Across the pond, there is the extremely dedicated duo at Endrime in the U.K., and also sustainability innovator Jeanologia in Spain. Over in Italy, we collaborated with Officina+39 and Meidea, and we linked up with the Bluezone crew in Germany. Not to mention the countless mill partners around the globe who spin TENCEL™ fiber into yarn for incredible denim fabric despite the shipping, energy and labor issues. Together we are more.

Community Sharing

Without community, what are we?  We would only be silos in a supply chain, not the vibrant denim network that we are. That is what we aspire to be with Carved in Blue and the social media connections.  This year, we launched a podcast with 14 episodes, during which we connected with some masterminds of the industry who you know, or perhaps didn’t know before. We also started the first ever Denim Video Awards (DVAs) with Blue Lenz, our YouTube channel comprised entirely of denim videos. Blue Lenz is one central place to learn and be inspired.

This year, we had some moments to meet in person and look each other in the eye. We will always remember the first gatherings. In October, we co-hosted a gathering in Biella at Officina+39 with Meidea to celebrate life and The Circle Book. Then in December, with Kingpins, we connected with the NYC denim community in Soho. It’s been a long two years of the pandemic, and we were thrilled to once again socialize with our colleagues and friends.

Looking ahead, 2022 will be the year of accountability. As individuals, we are responsible for changing our environmental and social impact. Companies need to show results towards their commitments to responsible sourcing. There is a reason for our actions, and it must meet the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit. There is accountability to consumers, citizens, who want to know who made their garments and where they are made. We need to look for solutions with a combination of compassion and empathy, while considering systems thinking and collective action.

Thank you for your support throughout the year, and looking forward to a spectacular 2022. 

Best wishes for a joyful and renewing holiday season,

Tricia Carey, Michael Kininmonth, Dennis Hui – TENCEL™ Denim team