Lenzing Enhances the Look and Feel of Zero

A new collaboration between supply chain leaders aims to enhance the visual and tactile appeal of zero-cotton denim.

Lenzing Group teamed with Chinese mill Advance Denim and Italian chemical company Officina+39 to develop a collection of zero-cotton denim fabrics made with Tencel lyocell. The fabrics have a vintage look and drier hand feel akin to traditional cotton-rich denim.

The authentic aesthetic is achieved with Officina+39’s special finishing technique, an eco-friendly bleach treatment and a sustainable wash process that saves up to 75 percent on water consumption.

Zero-cotton denim fabrics made with Tencel offer softness, comfort and sheen. In the past, the fabrics’ softer feel and clean look presented limitations in terms of denim design and aesthetics.

Tuncay Kılıçkan, Lenzing’s head of global business development, denim, said the development with Advance Denim and Officina+39 overcomes this obstacle by giving brands new design possibilities, which means greater variety of sustainable denim options for consumers.

“The partnership between Tencel, Advance Denim, and Officina+39 is truly encouraging and underscores our relentless efforts and commitment towards pioneering denim innovations which empower the creation of more sustainable denim products, ultimately reducing the environmental footprint of the denim industry,” he said.

The collaboration builds on Lenzing’s efforts with 15 global mills to develop zero-cotton and zero-virgin-cotton fabrics. The zero-cotton denim fabrics made with Tencel also have the added benefit of being laser sensitive. Together with the right wash technique, the fabrics are described as “a sustainable denim alternative from fiber to finished product.”

The partnership complements Officina+39’s sustainable mission. “The collaboration matches perfectly with our ‘Aqualess Mission’ as we continue to explore new ways to enhance the efficiency of our production process while reducing the use of energy, space, and water resources,” said Andrea Venier, Officina+39 managing director.

The collection, which will be presented at Kingpins New York on July 19-20, highlights the companies’ commitment in promoting industry-wide sustainable developments.

Michael Lam, Advance Denim director, said the project is founded on a “shared vision to create denim products with minimal environmental impact” and to innovate in areas that address the needs of the global denim market.

“Our hope is that this collaboration will encourage industry-wide innovations for the sustainable development of the sector,” he said.

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