Lenzing is taking on another collaboration, this time with DuPont Biomaterials, to launch a fabric collection made mainly of fibers derived from natural materials.
The collaboration blends DuPont Sorona fibers and Lenzing’s Tencel Lyocell and Modal fibers to give soft garments greater resilience in stretch, recovery and dimensional stability. The certified-mill collection will expand the use of sustainable textiles into markets such as activewear, ready-to-wear, intimate apparel and denim.
DuPont’s Sorona brand is made from 37 percent renewable plant-based ingredients, while Tencel is derived from sustainably sourced natural raw material wood. Tencel-branded fibers are also produced through an environmentally responsible production processes and are compostable and biodegradable.
“The future of fibers belongs to the companies that are putting performance and sustainability at the forefront of everything they do,” Renee Henze, global marketing director for DuPont Biomaterials, said. “Our collaboration with Lenzing’s Tencel-branded fibers will allow more apparel brands the opportunity to weave sustainable comfort into their products and achieve the ultimate blend of comfort, eco-efficiency and performance. Together, DuPont and Lenzing address tomorrow’s challenges through renewably sourced fiber materials without compromising performance and value.”
The blend of DuPont Sorona fibers and Tencel Lyocell and Modal fibers consists of a broad range of constructions, colors and weights. This includes many stretch fabrics offering designers spandex-free options.
Sorona polymer fibers offers resilience against heat, UV rays and chlorine exposure, while Tencel and Modal carry properties such as vibrant colors, softness and breathability.
“By joining forces with another industry leader, we are enabling the acceleration of textile innovation through developing new environmentally responsible solutions,” Andreas Guertler, head of global business development for active and outerwear at Lenzing AG, said. “The combination of Sorona fibers with Tencel-branded fibers will enable us to introduce next-generation fabrics that combine natural comfort, color performance, versatility, smoothness, softness and moisture management.”
Lenzing has recently collaborated with David Parkes on an outdoor collection, a group of mills and garment processing and design firms for the Sustainable Denim Wardrobe, and Delta Galil to use its surplus of cotton supply for textile-to-textile recycling to produce Lenzing’s Tencel x Refibra Lyocell.