Currently, the apparel industry primarily follows a linear model where fibers are produced, garments are manufactured, consumers use them, and ultimately dispose of them. Circular fashion offers an alternative approach, focusing on repurposing and recycling at the end of a product's life cycle.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates the circular business models' value at over $73 billion, with potential growth to $700 billion by 2030. Additionally, consumer interest in circular products is on the rise, with 48.1% of respondents in a DNV survey indicating they purchase items with recycled materials.
A Beacon of Sustainability in a Slow-to-Change Fashion Industry
Despite the evident advantages of circular fashion, many brands are not embracing the opportunity fast enough. According to S&P research, while 44% of fashion brands have some circular programs, only 23% allocate resources for circular research and development. One crucial aspect of achieving a circular economy in the fashion industry is product development. Brands must consider the recyclability of their materials and designs, enabling clothing to be reused at the end of its life.
Lenzing, a specialty fiber producer, has been a pioneer in closing the loop and advancing textile-to-textile recycling capabilities. In 2017, Lenzing became the first company to commercialize a circular cellulosic fiber, TENCEL™ Lyocell with REFIBRA™ technology, using recycled cotton waste alongside wood as raw materials. This innovation prevented cotton scraps from ending up in landfills or incinerators.
Now, Lenzing has extended REFIBRA™ technology to its LENZING™ ECOVERO™ viscose fibers, opening a new avenue for tackling textile waste while promoting circular and recycled content throughout the fashion industry. LENZING™ ECOVERO™ already has a wide customer base, including American Eagle Outfitters, Fruit of the Loom, and Farm Rio. LENZING™ ECOVERO™ with REFIBRA™ technology is set to become available worldwide, further advancing the cause of circular design innovations.
Lenzing's Multi-Faceted Approach to Circular Innovation
Florian Heubrandner, the executive vice president of global textiles business at Lenzing, emphasized that LENZING™ ECOVERO™ with REFIBRA™ technology is poised to satisfy the growing demand for various circular design innovations. This fresh offering empowers fabric mills, garment manufacturers, and consumer brands with shared values to join Lenzing in revitalizing post-consumer textile waste and embedding circularity at the heart of the textile value chain.
Lenzing's commitment to circular change doesn't stop at fiber development. The company actively participates in cross-industry initiatives like Accelerating Circularity and the Circular and Sustainable Textile and Clothing (CISUTAC) consortium. Through these collaborations, Lenzing shares its expertise in fiber engineering and collaborates to develop tools, processes, and products that can scale circular supply chains.
Lenzing also focuses on expanding REFIBRA™ feedstocks and has partnered with Södra to create OnceMore®, a pulp product containing used textiles. Their OnceMore® project received substantial funding, and Lenzing has also secured a five-year supply agreement with Renewcell for their CIRCULOSE® pulp.
Sustainable Denim with the Fiber Recycling Initiative by TENCEL™
In the world of denim, Lenzing launched the Fiber Recycling Initiative by TENCEL™, in collaboration with mill partners Artistic Milliners, Canatiba, and Textil Santanderina, to create denim fabrics using mechanically recycled TENCEL™ fibers. This initiative redefines the circular future of the sustainable denim industry by using pre-consumer lyocell waste at a commercial scale.
Krishna Manda, the vice president of corporate sustainability at Lenzing Group, underscores the significance of collaboration and sustainability, emphasizing that at Lenzing, they are dedicated to instigating a positive transformation towards a circular business model. They firmly believe in the collaborative nature of this endeavor, stressing that circularity and sustainability must work in tandem to drive environmental impact reduction and progress toward net-zero emissions targets by 2050.