Cellulose silk for haute couture

© Lenzing AG

A revolutionary high-tech product from Austria for haute couture was recently presented to the fashion industry in Paris. Fiber producer Lenzing is introducing a new type of cellulose fiber on the marketplace.

It was developed for the luxury segment of the fashion sector, can be manufactured in a particularly sustainable manner and feels silky on the skin. The product, launched under the brand name Tencel Luxe, is made from pulp derived from different trees such as fir, beech and pine trees. The yarn is already available. Initial collections will be in the stores as of 2018. Italy and Japan, amongst other countries, have generated the greatest demand for the new yarn.

The fiber can be mixed harmoniously with silk as well as with cashmere and high-quality wool. However, one of the key selling points is sustainability, an increasingly important issue, above all for young designers. The new fiber is manufactured with low water and energy consumption and low raw material use. One advantage compared to conventional silk is that Tencel can be washed at a temperature of 30 degrees.