Carbon Zero Lyocell

Lenzing fibres / Source: Lenzing

AfricaAnti-MicrobialAsiaBreathableCarbon Zero LyocellCelluloseCompostableEuropeHypoallergenicLow-CarbonLyocellNorth AmericaOceaniaRecyclableSouth AmericaStrongTextiles

WHAT WE SAY:

We barely need to remind you of the risks of carbon offsetting – authentic, long-term offsets are hard to find, and it should never be a substitute for reducing your emissions (in fact, we far prefer carbon insetting).

And while we’d welcome a little more detail on exactly how it calculates its carbon neutrality, the reality is that Lenzing is widely recognised as being genuinely committed to efforts to reduce its impact. As a result, its Carbon Zero Lyocell is your best option when it comes to low-impact lyocell, at least for now.

Carbon Zero Lyocell

WHAT IS CARBON ZERO LYOCELL?

Carbon Zero Lyocell is a specially-branded Lyocell from Lenzing’s Tencel line that is certified as CarbonNeutral in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol.
The company is using a “reduce-engage-offset” approach – using increased efficiencies and renewable energy; working with like-minded suppliers; and offsetting remaining emissions with verified projects.
The fibre launched in April 2021 and is widely available on a commercial scale. Brands using the fibres include jeans brand Jack & Jones, Chinese lingerie brand Aimer, Danish clothing label Selected Femme and US home furnishings retailer West Elm.

KEY PROPERTIES:

Anti-Microbial
Breathable
Compostable
Hypoallergenic
Low-Carbon
Recyclable
Strong

INDUSTRY:

Textiles

AVAILABILITY:

Commercially Available

DIVE DEEPER:

Lyocell scores highly on sustainability compared to most fabrics (not just synthetics) due to being sourced from wood pulp, a renewable feedstock, and its closed-loop process.
However, sourcing wood pulp and turning Cellulose into usable fibres still requires the input of natural resources and a significant amount of energy, which means CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere.
In 2019, Lenzing became the first fibre manufacturer to set a target to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and to be climate neutral by 2050 – backed by the Science Based Targets Initiative, which has driven the company’s emission reduction initiatives.
Some unavoidable carbon emissions remain, and for Tencel’s Carbon Zero Lyocell (and its Carbon Zero Modal), these are offset by the support of verified global carbon reduction projects.
These projects are intentionally situated in communities impacted by the textile industry such as India, Thailand and Bangladesh. Currently, this includes wind energy generation in Satara, offsetting 434,800 tonnes of CO2 a year, and in Gujarat, offsetting 90,000 tonnes of CO2 a year, as well as biogas plants in Punjab, offsetting 33,000 tonnes of CO2 a year.
Lenzing’s sustainability initiatives saw it achieve a platinum EcoVadis CSR rating in 2021, and it was one of only 14 companies worldwide to receive a AAA rating from global non-profit CDP for its leadership in climate change, water security and forest conservation.
Lenzing claims full supply chain transparency, facilitated by its unique fibre identification system to trace its fibres in textile end products.
Lenzing also offers retailers a brand licensing service to mark end products with certification, licensing and hang tags.
At end-of-life, Carbon Zero Lyocell will break down in the natural environment in a matter of months and will not shed microplastics. Lenzing has also filed a patent on the recycling of lyocell for use as a raw material for lyocell production.
In September 2021, the company announced that it was expanding its Carbon Zero branded fibres to its Refibra range, a lyocell fibre made from a blend of recycled textile waste and wood pulp.

Tencel Lyocell fibre / Source: Tencel

Pulp processing / Source: Lenzing

KEY FACTS:

50%

In 2019, Lenzing became the first fibre manufacturer to set a target to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030

434,800tns

Wind energy generation in Satara, India, is offsetting 434,800 tonnes of CO2 a year

Key Questions to Ask:

Exactly how has Lenzing reached carbon neutrality?

While the company is working with The CarbonNeutral Protocol, a respected, open-sourced, science-based standard giving total metrics for its offset projects, it doesn’t disclose the exact calculations used. As a result, it is not clear how much offsetting is required to achieve its zero-carbon status (and if that comes with a price premium).

What other fabrics and fastenings will you be using in your end product?

Tencel’s Carbon Zero Lyocell is certified as CarbonNeutral, but the same won’t be true of all the other fabrics and fastenings you will use to produce a finished product. To make your end product completely carbon-neutral – or as low carbon as possible – all other materials, add-ons and processes should be carefully chosen.

Can your product be recycled into a new Carbon Zero lyocell-based product?

With the Lenzing patent for using recycled lyocell, there’s the hope that in the not-too-distant future the material can be recycled into fresh lyocell rather than decomposed. If Lenzing can achieve that goal, a buyback or returns scheme would be welcome, especially if it can maintain the upcycled lyocell with continued carbon-zero status.

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