Lenzing is launching a new Tencel fiber made from cotton waste fabrics to drive ‘circular economy’ solutions in the textile industry. The new generation of lyocell fibers will be the most ecological wood-based fiber on the planet—combining cotton waste recycling with Lenzing’s pioneering closed-loop TENCEL® production on a commercial scale.

Lenzing achieved another milestone in its innovation heritage in the textile industry by developing a Tencel fiber based on cotton fabric waste. Lenzing is the first manufacturer worldwide to offer such cellulose fibers incorporating recycled materials on a commercial scale. Tencel, already a market success as an eco-friendly fiber, is now achieving another key milestone by creating from natural resources what is likely the most sustainable fiber. Tencel from cotton waste fabrics will further build Lenzing’s reputation as a leader in the field of environmental technology and will push new solutions in the textile industry towards circular economy by recycling waste.

“For Lenzing, developing circular business models in the fashion industry ensures the decoupling of business growth from pressure on ecological resource consumption. It reduces the need to extract additional virgin resources from nature, and reduces the net impact on ecological resources,” says Robert van de Kerkhof, CCO of Lenzing.