Austria's Lenzing Group, Cittadellarte collaborate for sustainability

An Austrian-based company that has focused on fibres for more than 80 years, Lenzing took to heart its ecological footprint long before the word sustainability was even coined, let alone applied as a concept. Its priority has been, from its very start, to produce fibres for many sectors (fashion, beauty care, cleaning, hygiene and home textiles) in a sustainable way. Each Lenzing product is made of cellulose from wood, a renewable natural resource, coming only from certified sustainable sources. An important characteristic of cellulose is its biodegradability and compostability: at the end of their life cycle, cellulosic fibres can re-enter the ecosystem and create a closed-loop production process, mirroring the circular concept of nature where water and chemicals are re-used over and over, and re-circulated within the system, the company said in a press release.

Tencel-branded fibres, dedicated to a variety of highly specialized applications, are a leading protagonist of the textile production chain, appreciated for their outstanding characteristics – softness, smoothness, luxurious shine and flow – and feature in many of the most sustainable collections in the world. A selection of pioneering technologies that cater for Tencel branded fibres have therefore been under the spotlight throughout the collaboration with Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto:

- Tencel Lyocell fibre with Refibra technology, using cotton textile waste and wood pulp as the feedstock for cellulosic fibres, creating a circular solution;

- Tencel branded fibres with Indigo Color technology, infusing pigment into fibres directly during the spinning process;

- Tencel Luxe branded Lyocell filaments, providing superior aesthetics, performance and comfort to be the perfect partner of other noble fibres such as silk, cashmere or wool;

- Tencel branded Lyocell fibres, offering carbon-zero CarbonNeutral-certified products by Natural Capital Partners;

- Tencel Modal fibres with Eco Clean technology, bringing totally chlorine-free-bleached Tencel Modal fibres to the textile industry.

In their shared desire to advance a genuine sustainable agenda for fashion as a whole, these two realities started a common journey already in 2019, when Lenzing chose to partner in multiple initiatives promoted by Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto, and in 2022 continues to embrace this cause through several touch points which have taken place in the past few months, for example the recent activations during FILO Milano, White Milano and the exciting collaboration with BMW.

“From the very beginning we have immediately felt a strong connection with Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto as we completely agree on what the backbone of tomorrow’s fashion should be: sustainability. When this becomes intertwined with art, philosophy, innovation, business culture, it shows all its effectiveness with regards to the actual world and this is the only way to not only talk the talk, but really walk the walk, together with the talents and designers that will lead the change in the present and in the future,” said Carlo Covini, business development manager Italy & Switzerland for Textiles – Lenzing. “We cannot wait for the next initiatives that will see us together”.

“The Third Paradise is a myth that can be pursued if we set out with others along the road that forms before us when we combine different, or even conflicting (or supposedly so), disciplines, areas of expertise and even interests. When economics and ecology meet along this road, businesses are created that are good for the planet and at the same time function as economic and productive enterprises. Lenzing is one of them, and walking together with them towards the Third Paradise is already part of the result we aspire to: opening up spaces for co-creation and continuous learning for the common good, for the good life,” explained Paolo Naldini, director of Cittadellarte - Fondazione Pistoletto.