Fashion’s contribution to the planet’s waste problem is well documented. And it has only gotten worse as fast fashion speeds up trend cycles, quickening the pace with which garments go from purchase to disposal.
Today’s apparel landscape is dominated by a linear model, in which fiber is produced, garments are made, consumers use the items and then dispose of them. Circularity offers a compelling alternative, allowing clothing to be repurposed at end of life through resale, repair, recycling and more. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that circular business models are currently valued at over $73 billion, and they could be worth $700 billion by 2030. Consumer interest in circularity is also heating up, with 48.1 percent of consumers in a survey from assurance and risk management company DNV saying they buy products with recycled properties.
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Considering the current strength and future prospects for circularity, brands are not embracing this opportunity at a fast enough pace. S&P found that although 44 percent of fashion brands have at least one circular program in place, only 23 percent allocate resources to circular research and development.
For the industry to scale circularity, one critical piece of the puzzle is product development. Brands should consider the design of garments—including the recyclability of the inputs and textiles used—so that clothing can be reused at the end of life.
Given the importance of materials in closing the loop, specialty fiber producer Lenzing has been a pioneer, taking a leadership role in advancing textile-to-textile recycling capabilities. In 2017, Lenzing became the first company to commercialize a circular cellulosic fiber with the launch of TENCEL™ Lyocell with REFIBRA™ technology1. TENCEL™ branded lyocell fibers produced with REFIBRA™ technology use cotton textile waste as a raw material, in addition to wood. These recycled cotton scraps would have otherwise entered landfills or been incinerated.
Now, Lenzing has expanded REFIBRA™ technology to its LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose fibers. This expansion not only creates a new path for textile waste but also facilitates broader industry adoption of circular and recycled content. LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers already have a wide footprint, with 500 brand customers including American Eagle Outfitters, Fruit of the Loom and Farm Rio. LENZING™ ECOVERO™ with REFIBRA™ technology will be available worldwide to supply the international fashion industry.
“LENZING™ ECOVERO™ with REFIBRA™ technology is well-positioned to meet the surging demand for diverse circular design innovations,” said Florian Heubrandner, executive vice president global textiles business at Lenzing. “This new offering empowers like-minded fabric mills, garment manufacturers and consumer brands to embark on this transformative journey alongside Lenzing—breathing new life into post-consumer textile waste while anchoring circularity at the core of the textile value chain.”
Creating circular change
Expanding REFIBRA™ technology is just the latest Lenzing effort to close the loop in fashion. Recognizing the importance of collaboration, Lenzing Group engages in a number of cross-industry initiatives aimed at creating systemic, circular change, including Accelerating Circularity and the Circular and Sustainable Textile and Clothing (CISUTAC) consortium. Through these collaborations, Lenzing shares its fiber engineering expertise and listens to industry needs to help develop the tools, processes and products necessary to scale circular supply chains.
Lenzing’s circular solutions also revolve around new fiber development and the expansion of REFIBRA™ feedstocks. The company joined forces with Swedish pulp producer Södra to create OnceMore®, Södra’s pulp product containing used textiles. Earlier this year, Lenzing and Södra received a 10 million-euro grant ($10.68 million) to fund and grow their OnceMore® project and industrialize circularity. Lenzing also entered a five-year supply agreement with Renewcell for 80,000 to 100,000 tons of its CIRCULOSE® pulp.
In the denim world, Lenzing also launched the Fiber Recycling Initiative by TENCEL™, alongside mill partners Artistic Milliners, Canatiba and Textil Santanderina to create denim fabrics using mechanically recycled TENCEL™ fibers. With the usage of pre-consumer lyocell waste at a commercial scale, the initiative redefines the circular future of a sustainable denim industry globally.
“At Lenzing, we are ambitious about creating a positive change in the industry towards a circular business model, and we believe it is a collaborative effort, as no one player can do it alone. That is why we seek out partnerships with forward-looking organizations, our peers and other stakeholders to develop solutions that can make circularity a commercial reality,” said Krishna Manda, vice president of corporate sustainability at Lenzing Group. “Circularity and sustainability should go hand-in-hand. Recycling and closed loop systems directly influence climate impact, and we consciously find synergies to advance both circularity and net-zero emissions goals by 2050.”
Click and learn more about TENCEL™ and LENZING™ ECOVERO™.
