Lenzing TENCEL™ to Consume Less Energy and Water When Dyeing Lyocell Fibers
Tencel™, Cellulosic origin fiber brand, has developed a method that will make it possible to consume less water and energy in yarns and fabrics produced from Lionel fibers or Tencel™ Lyocell fibers with Refibra™ technology.
This new method will provide a more ecological solution to the denim dyeing and bleaching process, similar to what was previously possible with a resource-intensive method. The new method will increase the versatility of fabrics and open up new design possibilities in ready-to-wear and knit garments. This method, which can be easily adapted to machines in fabric mills, will increase energy efficiency in the production process and reduce costs in the supply chain.
Reduces the Use of Chemicals by 90%
In traditional dyeing, multiple washes using a significant amount of water, energy, dyes and chemicals may be required to achieve a designated shade of color. With the new approach, only one round of dyeing is required, reducing water, energy and chemical usage by up to 50%, 40% and 90% respectively.
“As consumers become more conscious of the environmental footprint of their purchases, designers and manufacturers are seeking innovative ways to ensure that the materials and production processes deployed have a low environmental impact, while expanding design possibilities,” said Rex Mok, Vice President of Fiber Technical Marketing and Development at Lenzing. “Our new approach can create wash-down aesthetics or vintage looks on any knit fabric without water-intensive bleaching processes. By overcoming the limitations of traditional dyeing, our new approach is a resource-efficient alternative that helps translate into greater sustainability and more competitive operational costs for fabric mills. We will continue to work with mill partners to drive wider adoption of the new approach and explore new applications within the textile value chain.”
Unlimited design possibilities in knit apparel and denim-looking garments
With the new approach’s direct application to Tencel™ Lyocell fibers or Tencel™ Lyocell with Refibra™ technology, different shades of color, wash-down or fade-out effects can be customized. This makes it ideal to produce ready-to-wear, knit apparel and denim-looking garments in various color shades.
More efficient production, more savings
Existing regular, organic, or natural dyes used by yarn makers and fabric mills are compatible with the new approach. As yarn and fabric processed with the new approach do not leave dye residue on machines, the same machinery can be used continuously for the production of fabrics or garments of different colors. With machine down-time being minimized when changing color lots, production delays will be shortened, allowing yarn makers and fabric mills to save costs while enhancing production efficiency and sustainability.