(As far as material innovations go in the sustainable sector, lyocell is most certainly making waves — this man-made fibre is now popularly being used by both high-street and designer labels. So just why and how did it gain such momentum?
Lyocell also goes by the alternate name Tencel, which is a registered trademark and certified fibre of Lenzing (an Austrian textile innovator with high sustainability standards). Technically known as a ‘cellulosic fibre', lyocell is made from the wood pulp of eucalyptus trees using a closed loop, non-toxic process.
Eucalyptus trees can rapidly grow and be planted on marginal lands that require little to no water or pesticides. In comparison to cotton, it uses 100 times less water in processing and has a fibre yield that is ten times higher. To create lyocell, the wood is pulped after which a mixture of water and a natural solvent are added to break down the fibres. The solvent is 99.9% reclaimed and reused in a closed loop process. The raw cellulose is then pushed through spinnerets where lyocell fibres emerge, which, after washing and drying, are ready to be spun into yarn and eventually woven into fabric. Lenzing produces around 50% of its wood pulp from sustainably managed European forests and their production takes place in their carbon neutral factory where the end result is an incredibly soft, hypo-allergenic and biodegradable fabric.
According to an announcement by Radiant Insights Inc., the rapid rise in demand has expected the lyocell market to grow globally at a substantial rate of over 7 percent by 2023. Dozens of designers and brands are now increasingly using lyocell in everything from shirting to underwear. Ahead, peruse through some of our lyocell or provisose pieces below...
Published by: Vibhuti Vazirani/ 2020-01-25