Lenzing Group (Lenzing), a leader in sustainably produced wood-based specialty fibres, has announced the findings from its Global Consumer Perception Survey on Sustainable Raw Materials in Fashion and Home Textiles. The survey, which was conducted in early 2020, assessed the perceptions and behaviour of conscious consumers* towards sustainable clothing and home textile products**, as well as their views towards sustainable raw materials and product features.
To understand consumer interest in sustainable materials and their current knowledge, a total of 9000 respondents across nine countries aged between 18 and 64 were surveyed using online questionnaires. The key findings of the survey provided a glimpse into consumer habits towards pursuing a sustainable lifestyle, their knowledge of the raw materials used in clothing and home textile products, their perception towards brands, and preferred product descriptions.
Lenzing says the findings also reflected the imminent need for closer collaboration within the clothing and home textile industries to provide consumers with more transparent information about the products they purchase, in order to enhance consumer trust and maximize business potential.
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Three key findings of the survey are outlined below:
Conscious Consumers actively engage in pursuing a sustainable lifestyle and are constantly educating themselves about raw materials
Almost all (86%) of respondents believe purchasing clothes made from sustainable raw materials is a key component of living a more sustainable lifestyle, and they frequently purchase products from brands that are committed to using sustainable raw materials (80%) or recycled materials (77%) in their products. The survey also revealed that the majority of respondents actively learn about sustainability through researching the production process of products before purchasing (76% in clothing and 74% in bedding and home textiles). They also tend to read label hangtags (88% in clothing and 86% in bedding and home textiles), and most respondents are willing to pay an average of 40% more for clothing or home textile products with descriptions that reflect sustainability.
When shopping for clothing and home textile products, respondents consider the material type to be their most important consideration (ranked in the top three factors for consideration by 44% of respondents), which is above price, design, brand reputation and function.
Products described as ‘Eco-friendly’ or ‘Natural’ with a ‘Biodegradable’ or ‘Recyclable’ afterlife appeal to consumers
When asked about definition of sustainable clothing, respondents considered products being processed or manufactured using humane, eco-responsible production processes and products made from natural, organic or botanic materials as top considerations. Over 80% of respondents expressed that they are “extremely interested” or “very interested” in sustainable fashion and purchasing clothing made from sustainable raw materials.
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When asked about their preference for clothing and home textile products, half of the respondents said they would be more likely to purchase a product described as “eco-friendly” or “natural”, whereas over 60% of respondents are more likely to purchase products with a “recyclable” or “biodegradable” afterlife. Given the popularity of such terms, there are opportunities for brands to provide more descriptions and greater clarity to the materials, production processes and product afterlife information to their products as consumer education.
Brands with greater transparency on raw materials and ingredients can gain consumer trust
Most respondents considered brands that are transparent with their ingredients (83%) and the origin of their raw materials (82%) as trustworthy. At the same time, respondents also consider brands that are transparent about their production processes (82%), sustainable practices (81%) and where their raw materials come from (82%) as trusted brands. While respondents believed that knowing what raw materials were used in their clothing and home textile products is important to build confidence in a brand (87%), they also believed that knowing the brand’s environmental impact when deciding to purchase (87%) is very important.
“The findings of this survey prove the value of Lenzing’s ongoing efforts in driving the sustainability dialogue across the textile supply chain, from yarn makers to consumer brands. Based on the survey, we gained a more comprehensive understanding of consumer perceptions globally. The rating of material type being the top consideration factor when shopping for clothing and home textile products has also echoed our belief that consumers value and actively look out for sustainable products. This survey provided us, our partners and brands with insights to curate more targeted strategies and programs to drive sustainability, not only on raw materials, but also product afterlife. In the long run, we hope to bring optimal value for the clothing and home textiles industry supply chain and help brands achieve new heights, drive sustainability and safeguard our planet.” said Florian Heubrandner, Vice President of Global Business Management Textiles at Lenzing.
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Collaboration in the fashion and textiles industry is essential for driving greater transparency
Though sustainability has been a hot topic among brands, to enhance transparency, there is still room for the supply chain to evolve communications on raw materials, production process and product afterlife, Lenzing says. Given consumers are already actively searching for sustainable products, it is important for the industry and brands to revolutionize how technical knowledge is translated into consumer language on websites, product tags and labels, the company adds.
To drive change,Knitting fair also agree with this view that it has been taking the lead with a three-pillar approach to increase industry collaboration and shift towards sustainability by ensuring a higher degree of transparency and enabling verification of raw material origin from production process to final garment. The three-pillar approach covers special fibre identification technology, a blockchain-based tracking system, and proactive supply chain collaboration and planning. Such approach is also complemented by Lenzing’s bespoke e-branding platform for manufacturers and brands, providing one-stop support for fabric certification, including fabric testing, identification numbers and hangtags to offer reassurance that sustainability is in every step of the supply chain.
Source: lenzing.com
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Knitting fair according to reports, Israeli nylon manufacturer Nilit has recently developed a new type of antibacterial fiber Sensil BodyFresh, which can provide athletes and outdoor athletes with excellent odor suppression, durability and smooth comfort. The yarn is said to inhibit the growth of bacteria like Staphylococcus, St. Hominis, Micrococcus and Coryneforme bacteria, which can cause the human body to emit some unpleasant odors and discomfort.
Although the fine denier fiber can bring a smooth feel, it still has good wear resistance, and it can resist various harsh conditions. The antibacterial additives are in the polymer instead of coating, so the garment can withstand more than 20 washings and still maintain antibacterial properties.
Sensil BodyFresh yarn currently has various denier specifications and can be widely used in outdoor clothing and sportswear, with very good appearance and feel.
The additive embedded in Sensil BodyFresh yarn is said to provide long-lasting protection that does not deteriorate with laundering, indicating that the additive is not washed.
Nilit, a global leader in sustainable, premium Nylon 6.6 for apparel, reports it has received confirmation from Microbe Investigations AG (MIS), a microbiological testing services lab, that fabric made with Sensil BodyFresh demonstrated a 99.85% reduction in viral activity when tested according to ISO 18184:2019 criteria against Betacoronavirus 1 (OC43), an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. The additive embedded in the Sensil BodyFresh yarn is said to provide long-lasting protection that does not deteriorate with laundering, indicating that the additive is not washed out of the fabric.
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“We originally developed Sensil BodyFresh with antibacterial and anti-odour properties to provide consumers with outstanding freshness,” says Sagee Aran, Head of Global Marketing at Nilit. “With these proven antiviral test results, our business partners can expand their Sensil BodyFresh product concepts beyond comfort and aesthetics to include enhanced protection and a positive sense of well-being.”
Sensil BodyFresh is currently used by leading apparel brands across all segments such as intimates and underwear, base layer, activewear, and legwear. By inhibiting microbial growth, fabrics stay fresher longer and require fewer launderings, Nilit explains. The benefits are built into the yarn and do not wash out or wear off for the life of the fabric, providing sustainable protection that doesn’t pollute waterways, the company adds. In addition to providing these proven antimicrobial benefits, Sensil BodyFresh is, Nilit says, responsibly made at its water and energy optimized facilities and meets Nilit’s Total Product Sustainability guidelines for long-lasting, high quality products made with respect for the planet and people.
“Consumers today appreciate long lasting, environmentally responsible, multifunctional apparel,” continues Aran. “Sensil BodyFresh offers numerous performance factors that include sustainability and well-being attributes for today’s current climate.”
Nilit says it has a broad portfolio of sustainable Sensil premium Nylon products that address water preservation, energy use reduction, pollution elimination, biodegradability, and increased use of recycled inputs. Nilit is committed to providing the industry leadership and the products that help the apparel world use more sustainable fabrics in more responsible ways, the company concludes.
“Manmade fibres are durable, versatile and cost-effective. That’s why they have become indispensable in yarn production over the past decade and now account for more than 40% of staple fibre consumption,” says textile machinery manufacturer Truetzschler. Accordingly, the German company has supported this trend by developing highly specialized machines for manmade fibres that meet constantly rising expectations for quality and efficiency – and its TC 19i is now winning over customers worldwide, Truetzschler says.
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The intelligent card TC 19i for manmade fibres was launched in 2019 and is now the international benchmark for manmade fibre processing. The results from major textile markets across Asia, Europe and the Middle East speak for themselves: customers were able to increase productivity by between 20% and 100%, while also improving quality (IPI) by between 20% and 55%, adds Truetzschler.
Its processes include ring, compact, air jet, open end, core spun and siro spun technologies. Experts at Acarsoy Tekstil were initially sceptical when Truetzschler TC 19i cards were installed in the second air jet line for 100% viscose yarn (Ne 20 to 28). General manager Bülent Değirmencioğlu, as well as his team of operations and maintenance managers, were unsure whether the required level of quality could be maintained when the TC 19i operated at such high speed. However, they were able to produce 60% faster with the TC 19i, and clearer cut numbers were 50% lower than the first line. In light of these impressive results, Acarsoy is now considering modernizing its other machines too.
Source: Sensil BodyFresh Website
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