Jack & Jones x Carbon Zero Lyocell

Jack & Jones x Carbon Zero Lyocell jeans range / Source: Jack & Jones

Carbon Zero LyocellCottonEuropeLyocellTextiles

4 MINUTE READ

Mayer Nissim

WHAT WE SAY:

If we are completely honest, we do not fully buy into the idea of carbon zero products – everything we do has an impact and no amount of offsetting can somehow magically erase this.

However, these jeans from Jack & Jones are worth viewing through the lens of the brand’s wider efforts to embrace more sustainable materials, while Lenzing’s track record, around sustainability, means that its Carbon Zero Lyocell fibre is certainly worth exploring further.

KEY FACTS:

Jack & Jones has added Lenzing’s Tencel Carbon Zero Lyocell to its Tim Original CJ 415 and Tim Original CJ 515 denim jeans.
Carbon Zero Lyocell is a specially-branded lyocell from Lenzing’s Tencel line that is certified as carbon neutral, in accordance with the CarbonNeutral Protocol.
The jeans are made with 41% BCI Cotton, 38% Tencel Lyocell, 20% organic cotton and 1% recycled elastane.
The Tim Original CJ 415 and Tim Original CJ 515 both have a recommended retail price of GBP 65 (US 82), and are widely-available online.

Carbon Zero Tencel lyocell fibre jeans / Source: Jack & Jones

Tencel fibre jeans range / Source: Jack & Jones

DIVE DEEPER:

The manufacturing of cotton for denim is notorious for its high use of water and pesticides, not to mention the harsh dyes and poor labour record when the jeans are being put together.
Jack & Jones is experimenting with a number of more sustainable fabrics, which it has added to its Better Materials portfolio. This includes organic cotton and various fibres from Lenzing, including its recent Zero Carbon Lyocell innovation.
As well as incorporating Zero Carbon Lyocell into the denim blend, the Tim Original jeans featured post-consumer recycled brass trims, patches crafted from Viridis bio-based leather, Bossa’s water-efficient Saveblue rope dyeing technology and were washed with Jeanologie’s E-Flow technology.
The company was one of the first to use Zero Carbon Lyocell, after Jack & Jones’ parent company, Bestseller Group’s Fashion FWD Lab, collaborated with Lenzing on its development.
Lenzing has achieved its zero carbon status via reducing its own carbon emissions through increased production efficiencies and the use of renewable energy, and by sourcing of raw materials with lower carbon footprints. The remaining emissions are offset by the support of verified global carbon reduction projects in countries, like Bangladesh, India and Thailand.
Lenzing sources its wood pulp from certified forests and offers end-users full supply chain transparency via its fibre identification system.
The companies have worked together since 2020, when Jack & Jones replaced 75% of the generic Lyocell, modal and rayon it uses with Tencel Lyocell, reporting that it reduced its carbon footprint by 144 tonnes in the process.
All of Jack & Jones owned-and-operated buildings work on 100% renewable energy and its parent company Bestseller is building its own solar power plant.

"Working with like-minded partners, with deep expertise in fashion and sustainability, such as Tencel...[and] textile partners along the supply chain, we can make bolder commitments and create a greater influence we want to see in the industry."

Mikkel Hochrein Albrektsen - Creative Buying Manager, Jack & Jones

Key Design Considerations:

Could Jack & Jones push harder to make its jeans even more sustainable?

Given the scandals and accusations of fraud around organic cotton, there is a big opportunity to source traceable cotton, such as Good Earth Cotton or regeneratively produced cotton (as Patagonia and Ralph Lauren are doing) in order to cement and enhance your sustainability credentials.

What are the dyes used in the jeans and do they – and the elastane – affect the potential compostability of the finished product?

Both cotton and Tencel Lyocell will harmlessly biodegrade in the natural environment. However, unfortunately, this will be compromised by the elastane in the product. Synthetic dyes can also leach into the environment, making some denim unsuitable for home composting. Could you design your garments to ensure they have a benign end-of-life?

Could you offer a buyback or returns scheme for worn-out products at end-of-life?

Given the elastane, issues with dyes and the necessary presence of zips or buttons and other trims and fastenings, jeans will always be a tricky item for consumers to dispose of responsibly. A buyback scheme, like that operated by shoe brands Camper, or even a simple take-back scheme for upcycling, like that offered by Mara Hoffman, would be welcome.

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Jack & Jones x Carbon Zero Lyocell

WHAT WE SAY:

If we are completely honest, we do not fully buy into the idea of carbon zero products – everything we do has an impact and no amount of offsetting can somehow magically erase this.

KEY FACTS:

DIVE DEEPER:

The manufacturing of cotton for denim is notorious for its high use of water and pesticides, not to mention the harsh dyes and poor labour record when the jeans are being put together.

Jack & Jones is experimenting with a number of more sustainable fabrics, which it has added to its Better Materials portfolio. This includes organic cotton and various fibres from Lenzing, including its recent Zero Carbon Lyocell innovation.

As well as incorporating Zero Carbon Lyocell into the denim blend, the Tim Original jeans featured post-consumer recycled brass trims, patches crafted from Viridis bio-based leather, Bossa’s water-efficient Saveblue rope dyeing technology and were washed with Jeanologie’s E-Flow technology.

The company was one of the first to use Zero Carbon Lyocell, after Jack & Jones’ parent company, Bestseller Group’s Fashion FWD Lab, collaborated with Lenzing on its development.

Lenzing sources its wood pulp from certified forests and offers end-users full supply chain transparency via its fibre identification system.