In the age of authenticity, trust is the foundation for consumers’ steadied interest, loyalty, and ultimately, conversion. For TENCEL™, a brand of cellulosic fibers inclusive of lyocell and modal derived from sustainably sourced renewable wood by global specialty fiber producer Lenzing Group, that ideology materializes into its latest brand empowerment program focused on acute awareness for its brand partners.
Empower Your Brand with TENCEL™ elucidates and refines the brand protection process TENCEL™ already has in place to protect its partners, as unauthorized use of its name, a legally protected trademark, can lead to litigious disputes and loss of consumer trust.
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TENCEL™, a fiber brand with 30 years of history, is widely recognized for its innovation and high standards for sustainability, comfort and quality that lead brands and consumers toward eco-consciousness in an evolving and powerful textile market.
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Here, Fairchild Studio spoke to Linda Chan, Head of Global Brand Management, Global Marketing & Branding at Lenzing, who distills the company’s measures that protect brand partners, pitfalls of unauthorized use of the TENCEL™ trademark, and what brands can expect to see next.
Fairchild Studio: How is building consumer trust related to brand empowerment?
Consumers around the world are increasingly looking for sustainable ways of living, including in the fashion and home textile industry: According to our 2022 Textile Brand Performance Study conducted with Nielsen, 57 percent of consumers rate eco-friendly materials as a key factor in their decision making.
The same study showed TENCEL™ has a very high conversion rate – every 100 consumers who are aware of the TENCEL™ brand, 88 of them intend to buy products containing TENCEL™ branded fibers, and 62 of them will actually make a purchase.
As consumers demand more sustainability, brands are required to share more details of their supply chain, from material source to production processes and CO2 emissions. As product transparency and sustainability continue to be one of the top considerations for consumer purchases, brands have become even more committed to sharing proof that their products are indeed made of sustainable materials.
Therefore, it is important to put in place a monitoring mechanism to protect our supply chain partners and brand partners from any negative impact caused by possible infringement and counterfeiting issues. Our ultimate aim is to protect the interest of Lenzing customers and brand partners who are making real efforts to enhance the transparency of their value chains and for end-consumers to receive greater value for money in terms of sustainability.
Fairchild Studio: How should brands use the TENCEL™ trademark correctly to build consumer trust?
TENCEL™ represents a brand of high-quality cellulosic fibers, including lyocell and modal, derived from renewable wood source and produced with low environmental impact.
As a legal trademark owned by Lenzing AG, TENCEL™ is always written in capital letters followed by the trademark symbol.
We always ask for brands to use descriptions such as “shirt made with TENCEL™ branded fibers” or “contains TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers.”
Fairchild Studio: Why is it important for brands to use the TENCEL™ trademark correctly?
TENCEL™ is a legally protected trademark own by Lenzing AG, and only fibers made by Lenzing may be branded as TENCEL™ fibers. Since 1992, Lenzing has nurtured the TENCEL™ brand to become the pioneer and advocate of sustainable fashion and home textiles through innovation and commitment to sustainability.
The TENCEL™ brand is trusted amongst retailers and consumers. They choose TENCEL™ for what the brand stands for – the feel good brand that brings consumers comfort, quality and high sustainability standards.
Only Lenzing AG and its licensees may use the TENCEL™ trademark and brand assets. Therefore, brands who are authorized by Lenzing AG to use the trademark exude authenticity – that genuine TENCEL™ branded fibers are used. On the other hand, misusing the trademark may give the impression that the product is counterfeit.
At Lenzing, we take proactive online and offline measures to protect the TENCEL™ brand:
- TENCEL™ branded fibers are produced using a special process, which makes the fibers verifiable through Lenzing’s fiber identification technology. This provides our partners with supply chain security and transparency.
- Recently Lenzing announced a partnership with Red Points, a global leader in online IP infringement detection and removal, to strengthen our existing brand protection efforts globally and enable round-the-clock brand monitoring services using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Fairchild Studio: What are the benefits for brands when they apply for a license to use the TENCEL™ trademark?
Lenzing E-Branding Service is an online licensing platform offered by Lenzing that streamlines certification and licensing for brand partners. The service allows our customers and brand partners to effectively use Lenzing’s trademarks, including TENCEL™, in their marketing materials.
It only takes three simple steps to get started, which begins with a registration on the platform, then get certification and apply for the appropriate licenses that best fit their product and marketing needs. Once approved, access to a suite of brand assets, such as the TENCEL™ logo, swing tickets and digital hangtags for e-commerce, will be given to licensees with detailed guidelines on how to use them. Given everything can be easily completed online, the platform is fast and simple to use.
Greenwashing is becoming a growing problem in the industry for consumers, as buzzwords such as “sustainability” or “eco-friendly” have evolved into a box-ticking exercise for many. In a world where it is increasingly important that brands can communicate exactly what their products are made of, the Lenzing E-branding Service helps further boost brands’ sustainability credentials among consumers.
Fairchild Studio: What will brands see next from TENCEL™?
Lenzing is regularly upgrading the Lenzing E-Branding Service platform with more functions and tools to help brands and retailers correctly use the TENCEL™ trademark effortlessly. Register Lenzing E-branding service to stay tuned for more updates and experience the platform!
To learn more about TENCEL™’s E-Branding Services, register here.