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The Botanic Age

19.09.2007

 

„Botanic versus organic“
“Organic” is a term common in the textile industry as a whole. Collections of „organic“ materials sell well. In times of global warming, consumers attach importance to environmental protection.

As a manufacturer of cellulose fibers, it has been known for decades that Lenzing adheres to stringent environmental standards in its production. Its search for eco-friendly processes is also an established fact. Since Lenzing Modal® and TENCEL® are per definition not natural fibers, they cannot be called „organic“. In general only agricultural products can be termed „organic“. Lenzing Fibers are in fact extracted from wood but first of all the cellulose, from which the fiber is then extracted, has to be made.

The new botanic concept of Lenzing Fibers emphasizes the natural origin of Lenzing Modal® and TENCEL® and draws a parallel to the mechanisms of the plant world. A research project planned with the Viennese Institute for Applied Botany and Pharmacognosy will go into the botanic secret of Lenzing Modal® and TENCEL® in more detail. The aim of the research work will be to discover any leads in the plant world which are responsible for the properties of this fiber.

 
Botanic principle and Lenzing Fibers
Photosynthesis – which constitutes the basic botanic principle – is the basis of Lenzing Modal® and TENCEL®. Lenzing fibers are extracted from plants which convert the carbon dioxide and water in wood into pure oxygen by means of photosynthesis. In addition, the water management of the plants and the mechanisms of closed loop processes and sustainability play an important role in Nature and at Lenzing.

The botanic concept of Lenzing dwells on the raw materials used. Thus Lenzing Modal® is extracted from beech wood and TENCEL® from eucalyptus. The beech tree is known as the „Mother of the Forest“ and is a veritable soil enhancer. Beech trees grow in Northern and Central Europe where they characterize the landscape of these regions. Beech groves are an important habitat and home to a wide variety of different animals. What makes the beech tree unique is that it breeds naturally and can survive without the need for artificial irrigation.

The production process for Lenzing Modal® is optimized and circuits or cycles are put to the best possible use. The unique thing about the production of Lenzing Modal® is the absolute integration. The pulp is made by Lenzing itself and is responsible for the high quality of the fiber. In addition valuable by-products are extracted from the process such as acetic acid, sweetener and sodium sulfate for the production of glass.

Eucalyptus is used for the production of TENCEL®. Eucalyptus is a tree which grows very quickly and is planted in so-called „wood farms“ for industrial use. There is no artificial irrigation or gene manipulation and no pesticides are used. TENCEL® represents an alternative to cotton. The special properties  - TENCEL® has the strongest tenacity profile of all the cellulose fibers  - and the low use of water and land all make TENCEL® an eco-fiber. Thus on a piece of land covering 6m² one t-shirt can be made of conventional cotton in contrast to ten of TENCEL®. Moreover, the water consumption when producing TENCEL®, including the pulp, is up to 100 times lower than with conventional cotton.

And finally the last botanic principle is the cycle. Lenzing fibers come from Nature and return to Nature since they are bio-degradable.