At the Munich Performance Days 2023, the TENCEL™ brand showcased its new TENCEL™ Outdoor Fabric collection to an audience of designers, product, purchasing and material managers. The collection will also be featured at the upcoming Functional Fabric Fair in Portland, a sourcing platform dedicated to outdoor, lifestyle and active wear functional textiles and accessories.

The TENCEL™ Outdoor Fabric collection was curated by outdoor fabric innovators David Parkes, Marco Weichert and Lenzing experts, and aims to redefine sustainability in functional outdoor fabrics. While the outdoor clothing industry has historically been dominated by synthetic fibers, the need for a sustainable alternative without compromising on performance is more present than ever. With sustainability now a huge driver for innovation in all industries, many consumers are seeking different features, such as looking after nature. Brands are looking for circular solutions and seeking materials that put natural comfort and natural materials at the heart of design. TENCEL™ fibers offer a sustainable alternative: biodegradable fibers made from wood without releasing microplastics.

Outdoor clothing is often laminated to protect the body from wind and water during activities, and TENCEL™ branded fibers are the perfect basis for a conscious choice of wind and water repellant fabrics, especially as they feel comfortable and gentle on the skin, whilst also contributing to breathability.

The new collection is designed to meet today's need for circularity and fossil fuel reduction. It consists of fabrics from various categories including recycled content from TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ technology, insulating wind and water repellent fabrics, polyester-free plastic and micro-plastic free solutions and texturized, voluminous fabrics with 3-dimensional aesthetics.

The fibers, which have high-performance attributes and super soft feel, are also biodegradable with a reduced carbon footprint, bringing a wave of positive change to the outdoor apparel industry and the environment. Thanks to Lenzing’s innovative Fiber Identification technology, the TENCEL™ identity is ingrained in every fiber and traceable from fiber to final garment, enabling partners, brands and consumers to feel assured they are helping to make a difference to the planet.

Andreas Gürtler, Senior Business Development Manager Functional Wear, Lenzing AG, commented:

“We are so proud to have launched our new outdoor fabric collection at Performance Days this year. We’re especially excited to also introduce an outdoor jacket made of TENCEL™ fibers, developed by our valued partners Jeckybeng, HerMin Textile Co. and Freudenberg. The aim of our partnership with Jeckybeng was to use TENCEL™ fibers to create a completely synthetic-free jacket, without compromising on functionality, meaning consumers can enjoy their outdoor adventures with an easy conscience.”

The challenge was to develop a warming, water-repellent, functional jacket that was free from plastic. The shell fabric of the jacket is a unique, undyed, tightly woven TENCEL™ Lyocell organic cotton blend with a PFC-free DWR coating for low chemical impact. Its lightness and compactness make the fabric wind-resistant and a good base fabric for an insulation layer. All this by having good results on quality attributes like colorfastness, tearing strength and shrinking. The wadding is made of 100% TENCEL™ Lyocell fill fibers that are fully biodegradable, and the super soft, warm fleece lining is made of 100% TENCEL™ Lyocell and keeps you warm.

“Our new jacket offers eco-friendly consumers a product which is both sustainable and biodegradable,” said Dominik Fuss at Jeckybeng. “As the threat of global warming and climate change increases, Jeckybeng, in partnership with HerMin Textile Co. has actively introduced circularity into product development and engaged in the study of life cycle assessment for product analysis. Jeckybeng stands for microplastic-free products made from natural based materials and in our “Natural Laboratory” TENCEL™ fibers play an increasingly important role. As an industry, we need to deal with alternatives to conventional natural fibers and the addition of synthetic fibers – also in developments that require maximum performance. Regenerative cellulose fibers like TENCEL™ are a real alternative as their origin and production process are transparent and certified. In the spirit of a circular economy, our mono-material development could benefit both technical and biological cycles, making it a truly valuable fiber for us.”

Watch here for more information on our new synthetic-free outdoor jacket collaboration and read our collection booklet. For more interactive participation, check out the TENCEL™ brand at Booth 1411 in Portland’s Functional Fabric Fair on 4-5 April 2023.