TENCEL™, the ideal fiber partner for sustainable home textiles

The Covid-19 pandemic triggered major shifts in consumer priorities, especially within the home textiles sector. As time spent indoors at home increased exponentially, people began to think about how they could make their living space more comfortable and sustainable. Earlier this year, the Sustainable Home Décor Market reported skyrocketing demands for sustainable home products among consumers and buyers alike, with the sustainable décor market forecasted to grow by 5.5%, from $331 billion in 2021 to $556.3 billion, by 2031. As the home textiles market evolves, Austrian fiber manufacturer Lenzing is helping companies boost their sustainability standards with specialty fiber offerings under its TENCEL™ brand for textiles.

Home textiles – which range from bedding, towels, and carpet to upholstery and rugs, call for a set of unique functional qualities. Renowned for their natural comfort, TENCEL™ branded lyocell and modal fibers have been exceptionally well-suited for applications in this segment, excelling especially for home products that come in direct contact with skin.

Natural softness and enduring comfort

Recently, the team behind the TENCEL™ brand conducted a study into the science of sleep, aptly titled ‘Sleep Study’. Their research found that the optimized thermoregulation provided by TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers contributed to significantly better sleep and compared to other conventional fibers in the market, TENCEL™ fibers were better at absorbing moisture, keeping the skin feeling cool and dry for a whole night’s sleep. And comparatively, TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers created less favorable environments for bacterial and dust mite growth than conventional fibers. For curtain applications, TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers were also found to improve wrinkle recovery and draping.

Gentle essence and color brilliance for every living space

Produced by Lenzing’s Eco Soft technology, which uses an integrated pulp-to-fiber process, TENCEL™ Modal fibers offer exquisite, long-lasting softness – a quality that’s ideal for sensitive skin. Owing to the fiber’s sleek cross-section and high flexibility, TENCEL™ Modal withstands repeated washing and retains the softness of home fabrics for a pure and pleasant living environment.

Under both the TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fiber portfolio, Lenzing’s Micro technology also helps create finer fibers that are processed into light and soft home fabrics. Lenzing measures these textile hand-feel parameters of softness, smoothness, and drape through assessments of physical measurements and comparative external expert and consumer evaluations.

And for the home textile segment, TENCEL™ Modal fibers are especially known for their color retention benefits. These fibers are less prone to fade even after repeated washing.

A blending partner for endless textile possibilities

In addition to their standalone physical properties and functional benefits, TENCEL™ fibers lend themselves to home textiles as a highly compatible blending partner for other fiber types. At High Point Furniture Market and INTERWOVEN 2022 event, Lenzing showcased some of the many possibilities of TENCEL™ fibers for the home segment.

“We’re incredibly excited to have projects underway with weavers and retailers around the world that showcase TENCEL™ within the upholstery and curtain categories,” said Gamze Stöger, Global Business Development Manager Home, “These are still new areas of development but already, we see the different advantages TENCEL™ fibers are able to offer the home textile segment with drape for curtain applications or smooth touch for upholstery being examples.”

“TENCEL™ fibers are an ideal blending partner for other fiber types because they add all those benefits into the final fabric,” Stöger continued. “Our collaborations within the industry continue to demonstrate how TENCEL™ fibers provide the home segment with a viable sustainable fiber option.”

A new sustainable standard for home

And beyond the functional and aesthetic features of TENCEL™, TENCEL™ fibers maintain a stellar reputation for being responsibly-produced in a closed loop and resource efficient process. Both TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fibers are manufactured from raw wood pulp sourced from sustainable forests that are overseen by Lenzing and at the company’s production site in Austria. The wood pulp is transformed into TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers through a solvent-spinning process that recycles processed water and reuses the solvent at a recovery rate of more than 99%. Lenzing has also integrated several of its ecological innovations into the production of its TENCEL™ Modal fibers.

For the home textiles segment, Lenzing is further bolstered by the sustainability profile of its offerings, making it possible for consumers to create their own sanctuaries of comfort without compromising on reducing environmental impact. Earlier this year, Lenzing, in collaboration with UK luxury carpets and rugs supplier Jacaranda, introduced the world’s first 100% carbon-zero TENCEL™ Lyocell "Seoni” rug collection.

“At Lenzing, our mission is to achieve net-zero by 2050. Incorporating sustainable and biodegradable fibers into home textile products is one of the key steps in realizing this,” said Stöger. “We’re honored brands like Jacaranda, who share in our mission of environmental responsibility, have chosen TENCEL™ as a fiber partner to bolster their product offerings for the eco-minded.”

Find TENCEL™ for Home and Interiors here.