Preparing for an active lifestyle means eating the right foods, getting enough exercise and generally taking care of ourselves. But there’s one aspect of our wellbeing that’s often overlooked: to deliver the ultimate performance, we need to rest our minds and our bodies through restorative, nourishing sleep. The 6 To 6 collection will celebrate and encourage the healing benefits of sleep, and the role that it plays in our sartorial lives. This project is a collaboration between TENCEL™ and Studio Eva x Carola. Partners involved in the project include international circular knitting manufacturer Santoni Shanghai, along with innovative and sustainable suppliers such as Tintex Textiles, ATB and Ton Design.

1. Why 6 To 6 matters

Sleep well, perform better

Research institutes such as Stanford University's Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory have found that sleeping more hours than average improves speed, accuracy, alertness and overall performance in athletes. The fitness writer Faya Nilsson recently found that adding an additional two hours sleep a night increased her reaction time when training to 41% and improved her strength by 37.5%.

Sleep also clears toxins from the brain, and releases growth hormone which stimulates fat burning, muscle growth and bone building. Getting adequate sleep should therefore be a vital part of any active lifestyle. A hot topic within the wellness community, yoga routines now being specifically designed for sleep and even yoga pillows designed for maximum bodily support.

Sleepwear for the future

We spend about a third of our lives in bed, whether reading, relaxing or sleeping. Yet many of us underestimate the importance of creating the optimal conditions for sleep. The right fabrics, when worn against the skin, can deliver a wealth of benefits to the sleeping body including comfort and thermal regulation. We should focus not only on the fabric materials we sleep in, but also those that we sleep on; the bedding must deliver the same level of comfort and thermoregulation as the clothing.

To encourage the wearer to feel safe and serene in the hours surrounding bedtime, we use the soft silk sensation of Lenzing’s TENCEL™ branded fibers to bring long-lasting comfort. These fibers give the wearer an extra level of reassurance; they are produced using renewable wood material that has been developed using low water consumption, minimizing impact on the environment. The resulting fibers leave behind no chemical residue when they decompose. They can be used to create beautifully-shaped knits that are soft, supple and able to absorb moisture more efficiently to help the body feel pleasantly cool and dry .

2. The collection

Based on these insights, the 6 To 6 Collection, a range of mindfully crafted loungewear and sleepwear has been designed to meet the wearer’s needs between the hours of 6pm and 6am.

This collection includes sleepwear, bedding, activewear and footwear that will deliver important benefits to the wearer before, during and after sleep. Deep, restorative sleep is an important part of feeling refreshed and energised, which is why this ties in with our previous collection, Forever Young.

Our direction for this project is based on the idea of an elegant feel combined with a gentle touch, clear surroundings and a dreamy, almost ethereal use of colour:

Phase 1 - Before sleep: intimates and footwear

This phase is all about the themes of restoration, replenishment, wholeness, and mindfulness.

• Playing with shine versus dull elements for a luxe aesthetic

• Loose layering for comfort and multi-functionality

• Graphic design for a sophisticated look and feel

Yarns used for this phase:

• Micro Modal / cashmere siro compact: results in fine, soft and lightweight fabrics that feel snug against the skin and provide thermoregulation. Cashmere itself is three times more insulating than sheep’s wool.

• Micro Modal / Supima cotton siro compact: ultra-fine, soft and comfortable fibers that are also wonderfully strong.

• TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ / Organic cotton: Gentle on the skin, and on the planet - pioneering REFIBRA™ technology involves up cycling a substantial portion of cotton scraps in addition to wood pulp. The resulting fiber is beautifully light and soft, delivering moisture management.

Phase 2 - During sleep: home textiles and intimates

This phase will revolve around the themes of intention, awareness, beauty, depth, shine, gentleness, and the feeling of being at home.

• Terry structures for coverage and loft dimension

• All-over repeat patterns with engineered edge or shaping that is specific to the product

• Soft use of colour and muted tones for a calming effect

• Adaptable support for a customisable level of support and good posture

Yarns used for this phase:

TENCEL™ Lyocell Filament: made out of extreme fine filament yarns which also results in a silky-smooth luxury fabric and a flowing liquid-like drape.

UMORFIL® Beauty Fiber®: a new generation of bionic fiber. Composed by collagen peptide amino acid, it delivers a silk-like sheen with moisture regulation.

Phase 3 - After sleep: activewear

This phase is all about connecting to the body through movement and exercise, and the feeling of being rejuvenated and energised by sleep.

• Ventilation engineered into the pattern of the garment

• Patterns engineered around movement and different zones in the body

• Use of colour to create a multi-dimensional energising hue effect

• The application of decorative and feminine graphics

Yarns used for this phase:

Yarns from 100% TENCEL™ fibers: these are breathable, strong and are also gentle on skin.

TENCEL™ fibers combined with Polyester: this will help with the fabrics’ moisture management, easy cleaning and resistance to wrinkles and shrinking.

TENCEL™ yarns are spun using Compact-Siro spinning technology, which results in a more compact and clear surface structure, a more uniform and smooth shape, and less “hairi-ness”.