Let’s get clear on our mission
Recently, we brainstormed how to talk about our mission. We were clear about our connection to the natural world, this idea that TENCEL™ weaves together the story of nature and people. It is our deep respect for the planet that drives our constant desire to innovate and inspire — to find out how we can do better for the next generation. Every decision we make reflects the kind of world we want to live in.
About Nature. Future. Us.
At TENCEL™, we weave together the stories of nature and people. The invention of TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal branded fibers was a historical breakthrough in the production of sustainable materials.1 Since 1938, leading global wood-based fiber manufacturer Lenzing has been researching and innovating from a small town in Austria. This led to the creation of modal in the early 1950s, and further innovations that saw lyocell created in the 1990s in various locations.
TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal are regenerated cellulosic fibers. They are derived from cellulose, a natural polymer, that is the building block of wood. The wood used as raw material for all TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fibers is sourced from controlled or certified origins meeting FSC® or PEFC standards following the stringent guidelines of the Lenzing Wood and Pulp Policy.
Regenerated cellulosic fibers are made using a two-stage process. In the first stage, pulp is produced, in a manner very similar to the production of pulp used in paper industry. In the second stage, pulp is dissolved and cellulosic fibers are regenerated from the solution into a suitable diameter and length. Using different technologies (viscose, modal, lyocell), staple fibers or filaments are produced for use in textile applications.
Transforming cellulose pulp into fibers requires a special quality of pulp, referred to as dissolving wood pulp, which must meet different requirements than those for paper pulp. Among other features, dissolving wood pulp must have a pure cellulose content of over 90 percent, lower impurity levels, be bleached to a specific level of brightness and have a more uniform molecular weight distribution. Lenzing's biorefinery process ensures that 100 percent of wood constituents are used to produce dissolving wood pulp for fiber production, bio-based products, and bioenergy, thereby maximizing value creation from an economic and environmental perspective.
For the second stage, Lenzing uses two different processes to transform pulp cellulose into fibers.
TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers are made with an innovative closed loop production process. Wood pulp is dissolved and the solution is pumped through spinnerets to form a filament that is then washed, dried, opened and pressed into bales. Filaments are cut into staple fibers either before or after washing and drying. More than 99.8% of the solvent is recovered and fed back into the loop, resulting in close-to zero wastage.
TENCEL™ Modal fibers are produced in a modified viscose process that uses resource-efficient technology with high recovery rates of chemicals. The cellulose in the Modal is dissolved, filtered, spun and cut into staple fibers. The final fiber product is regenerated cellulose.