Recently, the Lenzing’s TENCEL™ Home and Interior team joined a couple of key industry trade shows, High Point Furniture Market and INTERWOVEN 2022 . Lenzing took part in these events to showcase the latest home and interior textile offerings powered by TENCEL™ branded fibers, and share insights around innovative usage of sustainable materials in the sector. We are delighted to invite the mastermind of TENCEL™’s participation at the tradeshows, Gamze Stöger, Global Business Development Manager Home and Interior Textile at Lenzing to share more about the insights and trends discussed during the events.

To start, can you tell us a bit about your role at Lenzing?

As Global Business Development Manager Home & Interior Textile, I am based in Lenzing’s headquarters in Austria, and have been working with various internal and external partners around the world. Since joining the group nearly four years ago, my focus has been on strengthening of the application and customer base of our home and interior offerings.

In addition to building Lenzing’s relationship with consumer brands and retailers by continuing to communicate Lenzing’s home and interior textile offerings.

Could you share a few key trends you’ve noticed within the home and interior segment at the trade shows?

A big trend for Home and Interiors right now is a comfort-first design inspired by organic shapes. During the pandemic, people started to spend more time at home. To create a sense of peace and comfort in home settings, key elements to consider for textile items, like upholsteries, curtains, sofas, etc., include design and materials used. Based on our observations and discussions with partners and brands at the trade shows, there is now a steady rise in the use of materials like wood and rattan for furniture. The preference for softer, organic textures with more neutral or pastel colors for a cozy feeling has also been growing rapidly among consumers.

With an array of sustainable options now available in segments like food and beverage, fashion, and more, people are looking to bring sustainability into the foundation of their homes as well. This includes products like bedding, curtains, and carpets, so that consumers can feel assured that they have incorporated sustainable choices in various aspects of their lives. This aligns perfectly with Lenzing’s latest area of development into the upholstery and curtain segments.

What new areas of development are Lenzing entering into in the Home & Interiors segment?

Within the Home & Interiors segment, upholstery and curtains are new areas of development for Lenzing. We currently have projects underway with various weavers and retailers around the world that we hope will bring more sustainable options to consumers in these markets. Via these projects, Lenzing hope to create awareness and provide customers with more sustainable options for both their homes and wardrobes.

To name a few, we are proud to have ongoing collaborations with brands on the home segment such as Eicholtz, Surya Rugs, Jacaranda, Pottery Barn, Target, Macy’s, and more . Through these partnerships, we are able to refine and expand our fiber offerings, broadening our portfolio and bringing sustainability to the forefront of the industry.

What gives TENCEL™ fibers the edge when it comes to home textiles?

When used in home textiles, TENCEL™ branded fibers offer many benefits, like luxurious softness, shine and flow— but they also provide exceptional functional benefits, such as thermal regulation, moisture absorption, and proofing against bacteria and dust mite growth.

TENCEL™ fibers are an ideal blending partner to other fiber types because they add all those benefits into the final fabric. For example, in upholstery, fabrics blended TENCEL™ fibers enjoy long-lasting softness, drape, sheen, moisture management, strength, better hygienic qualities and minimal static charge. An added bonus for the use of TENCEL™ Lyocell in curtains is improved wrinkle recovery.

How are you reaching new audiences and what is the most important thing for them to know?

Not only do the brand collaborations we discussed earlier help us reach new audiences and share more valuable information, but they’re also important for connecting us with new potential project partners. New projects are vital for driving further product development ideas and boosting consumer awareness of the TENCEL™ brand.