Lenzing, Södra, and Riopele take sustainable fashion to the next level with TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ lyocell fibers

Södra OnceMore / content creator: Ny Studio – Frederik Syren/ Copyright: Södra

(IN BRIEF) A strategic partnership between the Lenzing Group, a leading supplier of specialty fibers, and Swedish pulp producer Södra, along with Portuguese fabric manufacturer Riopele, has produced a sustainable fashion collection for Filippa K. The spring/summer collection features TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ lyocell fibers based on OnceMore® brand pulp, the world’s first process for large-scale recycling of textile waste from blended fabrics. Riopele turned the pilot fibers into fashionable fabrics, which Filippa K used in the collection. Lenzing and Södra aim to share knowledge and jointly develop processes for broader use of cellulosic used textiles on a commercial scale. The goal is to process 25,000 tons of textile waste annually by 2025.

(PRESS RELEASE) LENZING/ VÄXJÖ/ POUSADA DE SARAMAGOS/ STOCKHOLM, 14-Feb-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — The Lenzing Group (VIE: LNZ), an Austria-based world’s leading supplier of specialty fibers, and Sweden’s pulp producer, Södra, have taken another step towards promoting circularity in the fashion industry with their strategic partnership. The two companies, along with Portuguese fabric manufacturer Riopele, have developed textiles made from recycled and sustainably produced materials for the spring/summer collection of fashion brand Filippa K. The collection is the first worldwide to feature TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ lyocell fibers based on OnceMore® brand pulp, which is made using Lenzing and Södra’s jointly developed pulp-recycling process for blended textile waste. Lenzing produces lyocell fibers from the OnceMore® pulp in a closed-loop manufacturing process, and Riopele turns the fibers into fashionable fabrics for Filippa K’s collection.

Lenzing and Södra have been collaborating on textile recycling since 2021 and plan to share their knowledge to enable broader use of cellulosic textiles. The OnceMore® pulp will also be used as a raw material for the production of Lenzing’s TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ branded specialty fibers. The partnership aims to process 25,000 tons of textile waste per year by 2025.

“One company alone can’t solve the pressing issue of textile waste. It is proactive partnerships like this that enable us to move forward and bring about real systemic change,” said Robert van de Kerkhof, Chief Commercial Officer Fiber of the Lenzing Group. “We’re working hard to make our industries even more sustainable and to drive the transformation of the textile business model from linear to circular. Further efforts from the entire industry are needed for this transformation to take place,” van de Kerkhof said.

“We are so excited to be the first brand developing products in the new textile based on OnceMore^® pulp using Lenzing’s REFIBRA™ technology, supported by Riopele’s creative expertise in yarn and fabric production. We are not in this alone – collaboration is an essential step in sustainable transformation of the industry. It’s important to us at Filippa K to join forces with like-minded partners who are innovators in their own fields,” said Jodi Everding, Vice President of Sustainability at Filippa K.

Lenzing’s vision of a fully-fledged circular economy is evident in its cutting-edge recycling innovations, such as REFIBRA™ and Eco Cycle technologies. These technologies can process recycled materials based on pre-consumer cotton scraps and post-consumer garments, in addition to virgin dissolving wood pulp. Lenzing aims to co-develop circular solutions with potential partners, both within and outside of its current value chain.

The fashion industry has long been notorious for its high waste generation and carbon emissions, and the Lenzing-Södra partnership is just one of many initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability in fashion. As more companies explore circular solutions and sustainable sourcing of raw materials, it is possible that the industry will become more environmentally friendly and conscious of its impact on the planet.

Media contacts:

Dominic Köfner
Vice President Corporate Communications & Public Affairs
+43 7672 701 2743
media@lenzing.com

Daniel Winkelmeier
Communications Manager
+43 7672 701 2871
media@lenzing.com

About the Lenzing Group
The Lenzing Group stands for ecologically responsible production of specialty fibers made from the renewable raw material wood. As an innovation leader, Lenzing is a partner of global textile and nonwoven manufacturers and drives many new technological developments.

The Lenzing Group’s high-quality fibers form the basis for a variety of textile applications ranging from elegant clothing to versatile denims and high-performance sports clothing. Due to their consistent high quality, their biodegradability and compostability Lenzing fibers are also highly suitable for hygiene products and agricultural applications.

The business model of the Lenzing Group goes far beyond that of a traditional fiber producer. Together with its customers and partners, Lenzing develops innovative products along the value chain, creating added value for consumers. The Lenzing Group strives for the efficient utilization and processing of all raw materials and offers solutions to help redirect the textile sector towards a closed-loop economy. In order to reduce the speed of global warming and to accomplish the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement and the “Green Deal” of the EU Commission, Lenzing has a clear vision: namely to make a zero-carbon future come true.

Key Facts & Figures Lenzing Group 2021
Revenue: EUR 2.19 bn
Nominal capacity: 1,145,000 tonnes
Number of employees (headcount): 7,958

TENCEL™, VEOCEL™, LENZING™, REFIBRA™, ECOVERO™, LENZING MODAL™, LENZING VISCOSE™, MICROMODAL™ and PROMODAL™ are trademarks of Lenzing AG.

About Filippa K
Swedish fashion house Filippa K has pioneered Scandinavian minimalism since 1993, with an effortlessly sensual approach that stands the test of time. Offering a complete wardrobe of refined essentials, the collections balance style and functionality to meet the real needs of everyday life. Filippa K’s mindful design approach revolves around three sustainability pillars – circularity, traceability and impact reduction – which are enabled by its partnerships and scalability efforts.

About Södra
Södra was founded in 1938 on the idea that we are stronger together. We are now the largest forest-owner association in Sweden, with 51,000 family forest owners as members. Together, Södra’s members own a world-leading industry that processes forest raw material into renewable products such as pulp, timber, building systems, liquid bioproducts and energy. Rooted in the forest, we grow the future.

About Riopele
Founded in 1927, Riopele is one of the oldest textile manufacturers in Portugal and an international reference in the creation and production of fabrics in fashion. Incorporating sustainable practices across the entire business, Riopele invests in the production of highquality fabrics, based on natural, synthetic, artificial and recycled fibres. As a leading textile manufacturer, Riopele integrates the areas of R&D, Spinning, Dyeing, Twisting, Weaving and Finishing, offering a vertical production system that can meet the current demands of the fast-paced fashion industry

SOURCE: LENZING AG