In its 30 years as Lenzing’s flagship textile brand, TENCEL™ has set a precedent for new realms of possibilities for sustainable fiber application across various textile segments. In its State of Fashion 2022 report, global consulting firm McKinsey indicated that 40 million tons of textile waste came from the fashion industry alone, with textile production one of the industry’s highest resource-depleting sectors. Armed with this shocking statistic, versatility and multi-functionality in fiber application have become an ever-important mandate in forging towards a more sustainable textile industry.

Out of all of the future trends predicted in the textile industry, the ‘sustainability factor’ will continue to be a key focus. There is a high importance placed on the durability or recyclability of end garments across all fashion segments. The TENCEL™ brand has taken care to embed versatile material solutions and products designed to stand the test of time, all while remaining stylish and comfort driven. This is incorporated into the core of the brand’s ethos, and over the last 30 years, TENCEL™ has provided sustainable solutions for all sorts of apparel, footwear, home and lifestyle products, redefining itself as a consumer-facing ingredient brand.

TENCEL™ branded lyocell fibers, in particular, are renowned for their blending compatibility with a wide range of textile fibers such as cotton, wool, acrylic and silk. These fibers have been critical for Lenzing to keep its promise to do good for the environment. Made from sustainably sourced wood in an environmentally responsible process, the functional benefits of TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers saw even further recognition in various fashion segments this year, as applications of the fibers were bolstered across the board.

TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers are continuing to be introduced into a range of new textures and finishes - clean, suede and peach skin – providing the ready-to-wear segment with an even broader mix of fashion possibilities. With the same high-quality and environmental attributes as other TENCEL™ branded offerings, these new finishes are also combined with carbon-zero TENCEL™ fibers, as well as REFIBRA™ technology, boosting its sustainability profile even further.

Within the lingerie, swimwear & activewear categories, where a natural ethos guides the segments’ close attention to fabric ingredients, the TENCEL™ brand teamed up with fashion trend forecasters to introduce a Lyocell Standard capsule collection, designed to perpetuate the circular loop, with timeless garments made for long lastingness. Inspired by its mill partners around the world, Lenzing also ventured into fashion prints for the first time, introducing a sustainable alternative to the synthetic or cotton prints commonly used in everyday wear in its blended fabrics collection.

As it celebrates its 30^th anniversary, the TENCEL™ brand looks to 2023 and beyond, eyeing up new opportunities to broaden applications of TENCEL™ fibers across a range of apparel and textile product segments. In particular, with the holiday season approaching, there is a focus on catering to autumnal and formalwear. Lenzing has charted an ambitious journey towards achieving net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 and doing so will require continuous efforts with like-minded industry stakeholders. Building on the momentum the TENCEL™ brand has achieved through collaborations with trailblazers in performance apparel such as Timberland and Adidas, will continue to be a way forward to reaching this target and can be attained without compromising on design and comfort.