Lenzing and Orange Fiber introduce the first TENCEL™ branded lyocell fiber made of orange pulp and wood sources – presenting a new sustainable offering for the fashion industry

14 July 2021 – Lenzing & Catania – Lenzing Group, a leading global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, is partnering with Orange Fiber, an Italian company which has patented the pulp production process for citrus by-products, to produce the first ever TENCEL™ branded lyocell fiber made of orange and wood pulp. This new product aims to realize both companies’ shared vision to enhance sustainability in the textile and fashion industry. The new TENCEL™ Limited Edition initiative combines the imagination, innovation and inspiration of eco-responsible textiles, through reinventing TENCEL™ branded fibers using unconventional sustainable raw materials.

“The introduction of TENCEL™ Limited Edition leverages our leading edge in highly sustainable production processes and we are proud to collaborate on this special edition fiber series with Orange Fiber.” said Gert Kroner, Vice President of Global Research and Development at the Lenzing Group. “By upcycling waste materials such as orange peels in our products, we are taking proactive steps towards a more sustainable future and minimizing the environmental impact of waste.”

Seeking outside of what is conventionally available

The TENCEL™ Limited Edition in partnership with Orange Fiber presents a novel cellulosic fiber to further inspire sustainability across the industry value chain and push the boundaries of innovation. The fibers are currently being transformed into a new collection of fabrics which Orange Fiber will present to the market in October 2021.

“Lenzing is an industry leader in sustainable fibers and we are proud to partner with them to create this new material which will become a valuable resource for the textile and fashion industry. This pioneering production model can help revolutionize the fashion industry and empower brands who are looking for eco-responsible textile value chains,” said Enrica Arena, Chief Executive Officer of Orange Fiber. “With consumers becoming more eco-conscious, it is imperative for the industry to evolve in tangent and innovate with sustainable materials to stay efficient, competitive and save our planet for future generations. This virtuous synergy represents a fundamental step in our journey towards sustainable fabric production from renewable sources, validates our patent industrially, and enables us to increase our production capacity thus satisfying the needs of fashion brands.”

Innovating with partners across the supply chain

As increased regulations for sustainability pose new challenges for all levels of the supply chain, every stakeholder must work together to support this transition. From manufacturers to retailers, partnerships facilitate the exchange of resources and expertise to resolve the issue of textile pollution. The TENCEL™ brand aims to guide its many global textile partners in adopting and achieving an efficient closed-loop process, as well as to achieve high industry standards.

“Our cooperation with Orange Fiber showcases Lenzing’s commitment to partnering for change. We are excited to support rising industry trailblazers to bring their innovative ideas to fruition,” adds Kroner. “Collaborations like these can bring about groundbreaking change, and our TENCEL™ Limited Edition initiative offers an opportunity for companies of all sizes to join forces with Lenzing.”

Collections produced from TENCEL™ Limited Edition with Orange Fiber will have dedicated marketing materials, such as special edition co-branded swing tags, which will provide relevant information about the process of production and materials involved. The goal is to encourage co-development of innovative solutions to give waste a new life and promote greater transparency in the textile and fashion industry to fully achieve sustainable industry practices.

Images related to the announcement can be downloaded here.

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About Orange Fiber

Orange Fiber is the Italian innovative SME founded in 2014 that patented and produces sustainable fabrics from citrus juice by-products.

The company creates high quality fabrics for the fashion-luxury sector using hundreds of thousands of by-products that the citrus processing industry produces annually — the disposal of which has high costs both for the citrus juice industry as well as for the environment.

Orange Fiber solution, to extract a raw material from an industrial by-product, not rival to food, offers the opportunity to satisfy the increasing need of cellulose for textile thus preserving natural resources – either by not disposing of an industrial ​waste ​and ​not ​using ​natural ​resources.

The fabrics are formed from a citrus cellulose yarn that can blend with other materials. When used in its purest form, the resulting 100% citrus textile features a soft and silky hand-feel, lightweight, and can be opaque or shiny according to production needs.

The very first fashion collection made with the exclusive Orange Fiber fabric has been launched at the occasion of the Earth Day 2017 on April 22nd by Salvatore Ferragamo - among Italy's top fashion brands and a world leader in the luxury industry - in a collaboration that represents the shared ethical values underlying the project, shaping ​the ​fabric ​and ​showcasing ​its ​potential ​for ​elegant ​and ​sustainable ​applications.

In 2019, citrus fabrics were chosen for the Conscious Exclusive Collection of the Swedish brand H&M and featured in the capsule collection of luxury neckties designed by the revered Neapolitan tailoring brand E.Marinella.