We don’t often think about it, but a lot of textiles we use are made of wood. We all think of Viscose as a cotton material, but Viscose is actually a fibre made of cellulose and a brand name of the company Lenzing. In addition to Viscose, other brand fibres Lenzing make include the following: Tencel, Lenzing Modal and Lenzing FR.
Tencel is of botanical origin as it is extracted from the raw wood materials. Fibre production itself is extremely eco-friendly, due to the closed loop system. Textiles made of Tencel are more absorbent than cotton, softer than silk and cooler than linen. Applications for Tencel are versatile – the fibre finds applications ranging from mattresses and bed linens to sportswear as well as in hygiene products like wipes and diapers.
Lenzing Modal, a modal fibre from Lenzing, is naturally soft on the skin and very ecological. The fibre is produced using a special production process – pulp, the raw material, is produced at the same site as the Modal fibre itself. Production can thus be done while going easy on energy and other resources. Lenzing Modal is extracted from beechwood. The beech tree is quite unique and has grown in Europe for a very long time. Directly from beechwood forests, Lenzing Modal gives each and every textile a natural look and feel.
Lenzing FR, a cellulose fibre, protects against heat stress. Produced from beechwood as a natural raw material, Lenzing FR offers protection against heat and flame in a variety of different applications. Around the world, Lenzing FR is produced using the Lenzing Modal process. This ensures that the very highest fibre tenacities are obtained and makes it possible to insert the FR agent in a permanent manner. Lenzing FR offers protection from all kinds of heat: fire, radiant heat, electric arcs, molten metals and flash fires. The most important goal of protective clothing is to prevent the skin from burning. After all, the skin is the body’s largest and most sensitive organ.
Lenzing Viscose is also produced from the renewable raw material of wood. As a result of its cellulosic origin, it is naturally botanical, absorbs moisture well and is pleasant on the skin.
It isn’t only quality that plays a major role in Lenzing’s textiles. Lenzing also gives priority to environmental protection and sustainability. The various chemical and waste products which result from the production process are recycled or sold. One example is xylose which is used as a sweetener by the food industry.