NEW YORK — In their search for ways to keep the product category fresh, denim producers are turning to Tencel to spice up their collections.
Tencel, the nearly two-year-old cellulosic from Courtaulds Fibers, is entrenched in some key producers’ lines, including Pepe, Calvin Klein, Guess and Girbaud.
Denim apparel makers said Tencel — made from harvested wood pulp from managed forests — brings a fashion statement to the jeans industry. Manufacturers also said the fiber’s characteristics include the strength of polyester, the comfort of cotton and the drape and touch of silk.
Still, makers say, it’s pricy.
A fabric made from 65 percent Tencel and 35 percent cotton costs about 25 percent more than an all cotton fabric. At retail, that means a pair of jeans with Tencel would cost $50 and up, executives said. And while it is trickling down from the more expensive specialty retailers and into department stores, the fiber probably won’t be found in discounters anytime soon, they added.
“We consider it a fashion fiber, and we feel it is in no way, shape or form something for the mass market,” said a spokeswoman for Guess. “It is more expensive, and we feel the very young Guess customer would not be willing to pay extra for it.
“Tencel in denim, because it gives a softer, more luxurious feel, is really for our more sophisticated customer, one that’s in the 14-to-29-year- old age group,” she added. “A younger customer wouldn’t be interested in that type of product.”
Guess offers denim in its Fashion Line, in such items as a Tencel and cotton canvas jeans and a Tencel indigo denim. Tencel will make up about 10 percent of Guess’s Fashion Line product mix.
“Frankly, we use Tencel because it’s what’s selling at retail,” said Michael Glasser, partner at Democracy, a division of Group B. Clothing, Los Angeles. Democracy’s entire collection features Tencel, including jeans, jackets, pants, shirts, jackets and dresses.
“Still, the consumer really doesn’t know what it is,” added Glasser. “The Tencel market is one that has a lot of potential. When we’ve shown it to European stores, they appreciate it even more than some U.S. stores.”
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“My belief is that in the Nineties, [Tencel] is where the future of denim and sportswear is going to be,” Glasser said.
“Tencel gives character to the fabric and adds another dimension to denim styling,” said a spokeswoman for Pepe Jeans. Among the products Pepe has added Tencel to are its five-pocket jeans and a group of cuffed shorts.
“It’s not a core business for us, but we will try to continue to grow it,” she said, noting that Pepe began using Tencel about a year ago in its holiday offerings. “It is a very important product for us.”
Courtaulds began commercial production of the cellulosic at its Mobile, Ala., facility in July 1992, with the opening of a $100 million, 40-million-pound capacity facility. The company is expanding production of Tencel at Mobile by 150 percent, bringing capacity to 100 million pounds. It should be on line by mid-1995, according to company officials.
Currently, about 20 percent of the fiber goes into the denim market, Courtaulds’ executives said.
The mill that’s using the most Tencel in denim is Burlington Industries. The firm started incorporating it into its line when the first batch of the fiber came out of Mobile.
“We started producing denim with Tencel in some of our core products in 8-ounce, 11-ounce and 14-ounce weights, and it naturally migrated to better price points at retail,” said Kathy Barton, vice president, marketing for Burlington Denim, noting that the fabrics began at the upper-tier and bridge levels and have become entrenched in department stores.
“We’ve now gone into some new fabrications with Tencel, like some textured weave effects, which is going to give the manufacturers something new to go to their customers with.” she said.
Barton said Tencel makes up less than 10 percent of Burlington’s denim offerings, “but we are working with Tencel to attempt to grow the business. The thing that has to happen now is that the consumer has to be made more aware of the concept and what it offers.”
One product currently in the developmental stage is Stone Free denim with Tencel. Stone Free is a dyeing process developed by Burlington, which allows for fewer stones and chemicals to be used in the laundering process, while still achieving a stonewashed look.
In addition to Burlington, the denim division of Greenwood has also jumped on the Tencel bandwagon, albeit in lighter weights.
“It’s really a fiber for the next century,” said H. Gene Beakert, vice president, product development at Greenwood. “It’s like polyester was 25 years ago, something new, and all you have to do is learn to work with it.”