Lenzing Group, a leading global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, is celebrating a key milestone as the production of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ branded viscose fibers reaches over 300,000 tons since the brand’s inception in 2017.
“As we celebrate our milestone of over 300,000 tons produced, we look forward to achieving even higher capacity in 2023 with the addition of a new site for LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fiber production,” says Caroline Ledl, Head of Product Management Textiles at Lenzing. “With the increase in LENZING™ ECOVERO™ capacity, our value chain partners and brands can benefit from better fiber availability to support their sustainability targets at a very competitive cost. Through efficient supply chains and the support of our teams around the world, brands can keep the additional cost for transitioning from conventional viscose to eco-responsible viscose within a very small range.”
The rise of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ from sustainability niche to market standard
Lenzing uses sustainably managed wood sources and renewable electricity to produce LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers. The company’s sustainability efforts are widely recognized in the industry, as it took the top spot in Canopy’s 2022 Hot Button Ranking and Report which examined the performance of viscose producers in protecting endangered forests. With production capacity in Austria, China and soon in Indonesia, LENZING™ ECOVERO™ is expanding its footprint across the world. This increase in production capacity comes at a timely moment as demand for eco-responsible fibers continues to rise, driven by the growing preference for sustainability from consumers and brands alike.
India was the first country to launch LENZING™ECOVERO™ fibres in 2019. The product was introduced at the Lakme Fashion Week in collaboration with Abraham & Thakore, for their ‘Kurta’ collection. Since its launch more and more designers as well as major retailers have embraced LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers including Ritu Kumar, House of Anita Dongre, Future Group, Myntra’s inhouse brands, including Roadster, Mast & Harbour, Dressberry, and House of Pataudi. LENZING™ECOVERO™ fibers has continued its growth through partnerships with multinational companies that sell clothing manufacturer of LENZING™ECOVERO™ fibres in India, including Levis, H&M, Zara, Jack n Jones, Vero Moda, Only, etc.
In 2022, more than 500 brands have certified their products with Lenzing. Brands including Orta and Farm Rio have proudly communicated their sustainability commitments by highlighting their use of LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers in promotion campaigns. Other renowned brands which have used LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers in their collections include European fashion powerhouses Massimo Dutti, Lacoste, ba&sh, Zara, Mango, H&M, Jack and Jones, Vero Moda, Only, Tom Tailor and Lindex, denim brands American Eagle, Levi’s and Tommy Hilfiger, retail giants Kmart Australia, Target Australia, and Marks & Spencer, as well as brands such as Guess, Forever New, Shona Joy, Myntra, Calzedonia, Trenery, Arnhem, ELK, Mambo Australia and Mambo Surf De Luxe.
“When we first launched the LENZING™ ECOVERO™ brand, there were only a few suppliers and brands who started their sustainable viscose journey with us. Five years later, LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers are now available through hundreds of yarn spinners in all major textile markets and have found their way into countless brand collections,” says Harold Weghorst, Vice President of Global Marketing and Branding at Lenzing AG. “More and more brands choose LENZING™ ECOVERO™ not only for its strong sustainability credentials, but for the traceability and transparency we stand for. As concerns about greenwashing across the value chain continue to grow, it is increasingly important for brands to be able to confidently make their good choices visible.”
A backbone for transparency in the supply chain, Lenzing’s innovative Fiber Identification technology enables LENZING™ ECOVERO™ fibers to be identifiable in the fabric and in the final product, providing brands with full traceability and protection from counterfeiting. New initiatives to make the technology more accessible and impactful will be rolled out in 2023.
