From the Sector

A journey into Warli’s world, timeless and multifaceted: ‘La lune sous le chapeau’, designed by Man Ray and the Dots indoor rug program, by Paolo Zani evoke the simplicity of design.

In an exciting fusion of art and design, Warli’s latest collection embarks on a journey that celebrates essentiality as a core aesthetic and design value. This philosophy shines through in two key offerings: ‘La lune sous le chapeau’, a lamp designed by Man Ray, and the Dots indoor rug program by Paolo Zani. Both pieces, while distinct in their origins and expressions, are united by a shared pursuit of authenticity and lightness of form, embodying a vision where formal simplicity, rich materiality, and artisanal craftsmanship converge.

Dots, indoor rug program – designed by Paolo Zani
For years, Dots has been a bestseller in Warli’s indoor collections, lauded for its versatility and customization that make it a seamless fit for top hospitality and residential projects. In 2025, Dots evolves from a single product into a comprehensive work program. This expansion allows for unparalleled customization through the combination of 10 weft colors and 10 warp colors, ensuring that every project’s unique requirements can be met. Hand-woven from a blend of wool and tencel, Dots creates a soft, continuous surface, finely crafted with twisted wool elements. The distinctive dotted pattern in various color shades is achieved through a specialized dyeing and twisting technique applied to the wool.

‘La lune sous le chapeau’ – designed by Man Ray
‘La lune sous le chapeau’ is an ‘objet trouvé’ in its essence, re-evaluating simple materials, low technology, and formal simplicity. The lampshade was conceived by Man Ray in 1974 on a flat sheet of cardboard, and quickly, along with sketches for the base, evolved into the iconic lamp we know today. This piece, seemingly anonymous and anti-design, is provocatively poetic, featuring the most minimal of lampshades supported by the most elementary of bases. This re-edition faithfully reproduces the original design, not just in form but also in spirit.

The Cellulose Fibres Conference 2025 (CFC 2025), held on 12-13 March in Cologne, Germany, brought together industry leaders, innovators and researchers to explore the latest innovations and new technologies for fibres – in textiles, hygiene products and packaging. The conference has established itself as the leading international platform for the emerging cellulose fibre industry. Two days with high quality program and outstanding speakers highlighted the growing importance of addressing environmental concerns within the textile industry.

The main source for the production of staple fibres or filaments such as viscose, lyocell, modal or other types of new cellulose fibres is wood-based chemical pulp. At the same time, new sources such as agricultural wastes and fibres, paper grade pulp and recycled textiles are emerging on a global scale, with a variety of new sources and companies contributing new technologies, processing methods and ideas.

Biosynthetics, featured for the first time at the conference, drew significant attention. Experts discussed the challenges and opportunities of cellulose fibres and biosynthetics, with particular focus on scalability, biodegradability, and performance comparisons to conventional synthetic fibres from fossil origin.

Dynamic Engagement and Scientific Discourse
The CFC 2025 fostered discussions among attendees, with a strong emphasis on scientific advancements and sustainable practices. Participants actively engaged in sessions covering topics such as circular economy strategies fibre-to-fibre recycling from textile, marine biodegradability versus fibre microplastic formation, alternative feedstocks, and innovative technologies for pulp, fibres, biosynthetics, and yarns.

In order to support the development, innovation and market entry of cellulosic fibres, Dieter Eichinger, CIRFS (BE), presented a proposal for a new standard that includes all types of cellulosic fibres such as Viscose, Lyocell, Tencel, Modal, Cupra and new innovative fibres under the generic term "cellulose fibres". The proposal was widely supported by the participants. Anna Palmberg, IKEA (SE), also expressed a concrete interest in using more cellulose fibres in the future.

The event witnessed heightened activity on social media platforms, with delegates sharing insights, experiences, and key takeaways using the hashtag #CFC2025. This digital engagement extended the conference's reach, allowing a broader audience to participate in the discourse on sustainable textiles.

Innovation Award winner announced
The announcement of the "Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2025" award winners was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the conference. Sponsored by GIG Karasek, the award recognises groundbreaking developments in the field. Every year, the award recognises the three most promising innovations in the field of cellulose fibres, highlighting groundbreaking advancements and their potential impact. This year, for the first time, the award also offered the opportunity to recognise innovations in the field of biosynthetics. The top three outstanding technologies were honoured this year for their remarkable advancements. These three pioneers will certainly pave ways in the future of the sustainable fibres industry:

1. .SA-Dynamics (Germany): Cellulose Aerogel Textiles
   SA-Dynamics introduced revolutionary insulation materials made from 100% biodegradable cellulose aerogel fibres. These materials combine the flexibility of traditional fabrics with the superior thermal insulation properties of aerogels, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil-based and animal-derived insulation materials in textiles as well as in construction.  
2. Releaf Paper France (France): Releaf Fiber
   Releaf Paper France transforms urban fallen leaves into sustainable cellulose fibres, providing an eco-friendly alternative to traditional hardwood pulp. Their proprietary low-temperature extraction process yields high-quality fibres ideal for packaging materials, aligning with circular economy principles by repurposing urban leaf waste.
3. Uluu (Australia): Seaweed-Derived Biosynthetic Materials
   Uluu is set to replace plastics in textiles with natural PHA polymers, derived from farmed seaweed. In partnership with Deakin University, Uluu is developing textile fibres that perform like synthetic polyester but are biodegradable in various environments, eliminating persistent microplastic pollution in fashion. 

As Interfilière Paris is approaching, ROICA™ introduces its three partners that will exhibit at the fair focusing on intimate wear: Iluna Group, Innova Fabrics and Lauma Elastic.

Iluna Group
Iluna Group is specialized in the production of lingerie and fine fabrics. The company is known for its commitment to sustainability, using eco-high-tech materials and adopting responsible production practices. Its product line includes a wide range of lace, embroidery, and delicate fabrics.

Innova Fabrics
Innova Fabrics produces innovative and high-quality fabrics. It stands out for its ability to combine textile tradition with advanced technologies and offering a range of fabrics for various applications, as fashion, furnishings, and technical textiles.
I LOVE RF: the residual free (RF) line, aimed at reducing the impact of microplastics, is made with 84% Sensil Biocare polyamide and16% ROICA™ V550. PARIS SPECIAL V550: it weighs 180 g/m2, has a height of 160 cm and is composed of 86% TENCEL and 14% ROICA™ V550. RYON RF: part of the “residual free” (RF) line, the Ryon RF fabric is developed using Sensil Biocare polyamide and ROICA™ V550. This combination is designed to minimize the residual persistence of polyamide and elastomer in the environment.

Lauma Elastic
Lauma Elastic is a brand for quality textile and medical materials with a long heritage and constant innovation. Today Lauma is focused on innovation and committed to introducing environmentally friendly, new technologies into the textiles industry. The company presents its fabric 323309 with Tencel™ (84%) and ROICA™ V550 (16%), weight 165cm x 350g, primarily used for sports and yoga leggings for its characteristics of softness and durability.

Lenzing Group announced the collaboration with China’s internationally recognized denim mill, Advance Denim, to use matte TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers for their latest Denim Collection.

The TENCEL™ brand offers innovative and planet-friendly fiber solutions¹ that strive to enhance the adoption of responsible production² within the textile industry. Leveraging resource-saving, closed-loop production process³, TENCEL™ fibers are naturally soft and smooth to the touch and support a natural dry feeling through moisture control. The rollout of matte TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers in 2021 provided denim manufacturers with a solution that enabled them to enjoy the ample tactile and environmental benefits of TENCEL™ fibers, while also maintaining a matte finish on the end product.

“Matte TENCEL™ fibers are an extremely important innovation for the denim sector as they address the need for responsible denim made with less shine for a more vintage look. Many brands are currently looking for styles that meet this criterion while also providing softness and drapability for wide-leg jeans. Matte TENCEL™ fibers create the perfect mixture of performance and sustainability without sacrificing that true vintage indigo look,” said Amy Wang, General Manager of Advance Denim. “The matte denim in the ‘Denim Collection’, achieved by using matte TENCEL™ fibers, not only has exceptional softness to the touch, but its fiber properties also make the denim more like traditional cotton jeans after washing. This will enable the final garments to retain the intended retro style of the fabric.”

¹ TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fibers are certified with the EU Ecolabel for textile products (license no. AT/016/001) for environmental excellence.
² The responsible production of TENCEL™ Lyocell and Modal fibers uses at least 50% less water and emits at least 50% less CO2 compared to generic lyocell and modal fibers, according to Higg MSI, thereby saving precious resources for future generations. Results based on LCA standards (ISO 14040/44) and available via Higg MSI (Version 3.7).
³ Savings consider solvent recovery.

• Revenue of EUR 1.25 bn and EBITDA of EUR 136.5 mn in the first half of 2023
• EBITDA and net result for the period significantly improved compared with the first quarter of 2023
• Cost-cutting program and measures to strengthen sales activities being implemented as planned
• Liquidity position strengthened by successful capital increase and extension of credit terms
• Production of TENCEL™ brand modal fibers successfully launched in China

The business performance of the Lenzing Group, a leading global supplier of specialty fibers for the textile and nonwoven industries, largely reflected the subdued market trends in the first half of 2023. After the market environment deteriorated significantly in the second half of 2022, signs of recovery were evident during the first and second quarters of 2023 in terms of both raw material and energy costs as well as demand. Textile fibers recorded improving demand, and business with nonwoven fibers and with dissolving wood pulp proved to be very stable.

Outlook
The war in Ukraine and the more restrictive monetary policy pursued by many central banks in order to combat inflation are expected to continue to influence global economic activity. The IMF warns that risks remain elevated overall and forecasts growth of 3 percent for both 2023 and 2024. The currency environment is expected to remain volatile in the regions of relevance to Lenzing.

This market environment continues to weigh on the consumer climate and on sentiment in the industries relevant to Lenzing. Recently, however, the outlook brightened somewhat according to a global survey by the ITMF.*

In the trend-setting market for cotton, signs are emerging of a further buildup of stocks in the current 2022/23 crop season. Initial forecasts also see a further buildup of stocks in 2023/24, albeit to a lesser extent.

However, despite signs of recovery in both demand and raw material and energy costs, earnings visibility remains limited overall.

Lenzing is fully on track with the implementation of its reorganization and cost-cutting program. These and further measures are aimed at positioning Lenzing in the best possible way for the expected market recovery.

In structural terms, Lenzing continues to anticipate growth in demand for environmentally responsible fibers for the textile and clothing industry as well as the hygiene and medical sectors. As a consequence, Lenzing is very well positioned with its “Better Growth” strategy and plans to continue driving growth with specialty fibers as well as its sustainability goals, including the transformation from a linear to a circular economy model.

The successful implementation of the key projects in Thailand and Brazil as well as the investment projects in China and Indonesia will further strengthen Lenzing’s positioning in this respect.

Taking into consideration the aforementioned factors and assuming a further market recovery in the current financial year, the Lenzing Group continues to expect EBITDA in a range between EUR 320 mn and EUR 420 mn for 2023.

*Source: ITMF, 21st Global Textile Industry Survey, July 2023

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition is set for a renewal. After last year’s brief pause, 283 exhibitors from 5 countries and regions will showcase their latest innovations at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) during this traditional peak sourcing period. The fair will be held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition, Yarn Expo Spring, CHIC and PH Value from 28 – 30 March 2023.

Comprehensive range of products zoned for easy sourcing
The 27,000 sqm gross exhibition space in hall 5.2 will host suppliers in multiple product categories, such as bedding, towelling, table and kitchen linen, home textile technologies, and textile designs. Several product pavilions and zones will be formed to encourage efficient sourcing, with areas designated for quality bedding, towelling, feather and down duvet fillings, quilt fillings, intelligent equipment and upholstery fabric products. Buyers looking for sustainable fibres, yarns and fabrics may be interested in sourcing at the Lenzing Group’s brand new centralised Lenzing Home Textile Satellite Pavilion. With Lenzing joined by eight of its Chinese downstream manufacturers, the pavilion will showcase the various home textile applications for the Austrian company’s wood-based TENCEL™ fibres.

Other well-known international and domestic exhibitors include Cotton Council International (CCI), Zhangjiagang Coolist Life Technology, Guangdong Kulida Down, Wujiang City Yunjie Textiles, Yantai Pacific Home Fashion, Sunvim Group, and Jiangsu Goostars Hometextiles. These suppliers, and many more, will present their up-to-date products to meet the sourcing demands of buyers from different channels.

Programme
At every edition, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textile’s fringe events keep fairgoers informed on a variety of topics, allowing exhibitors and visitors alike to stay up to date with the latest market trends and make informed business decisions.

Aligning with the fair’s general direction on promoting sustainability, and to satisfy the industry’s needs, representatives from Lenzing will be holding an exclusive seminar about the e-commerce opportunities surrounding eco-friendly TENCEL™ products’ sleep enhancing qualities. Other presentations and discussions that touch on sustainability will also be available under the fair’s Textile & Technology event theme.

With consumers globally paying more attention to health issues and increasing their spending on health products, the home and contract textile industry is also a party to this rising trend. To this end, seminars discussing traditional Chinese medicine and how it relates to different health issues will be held on day one. Their crossover topics include how aromatherapy can encourage high-quality sleep, as well as an introduction on the innovation of traditional medicinal textiles.

Moreover, the well-known Chinese retailer JD.com will co-host an event that promotes home textile products made with Chinese cotton. Several talks will focus on different aspects, such as the products’ quality and the overall potential of this industry aided by government policies.

After China’s relaxation of border restrictions and other pandemic control measures, it is now easier for domestic and overseas buyers to visit their Chinese suppliers at the fairground, for the chance to touch and feel their desired products.

For the third time, nova-Institute awards the “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year” award in the frame of the “Cellulose Fibres Conference 2023” (8-9 March 2023). The conference advisory board nominated six remarkable products, including cellulose fibres from textile waste, banana production waste and bacterial pulp, a novel technology for producing lyocell yarns and a hygiene product. The innovations will be put to the vote of the conference audience on the first day of the event, with the awards ceremony taking place in the evening. The innovation award “Cellulose Fibre Innovation of the Year 2023” is sponsored by GIG Karasek (AT).

Here are the six nominees
Vybrana – The new generation banana fibre – GenCrest Bioproducts (India)
Vybrana is a Gencrest’s Sustainable Cellulosic Fibre upcycled from agrowaste. Raw fibres are extracted from the Banana Pseudo stem at the end of the plant lifecycle. The biomass waste is then treated by the Gencrest patented Fiberzyme technology. Here, cocktail enzyme formulations remove the high lignin content and other impurities and help fibre fibrillation. The company's proprietary cottonisation process provides fine, spinnable cellulose staple fibres suitable for blending with other staple fibres and can be spun on any conventional spinning systems giving yarns sustainable apparel. Vybrana is produced without the use of heavy chemicals and minimized water consumption and in a waste-free process where balance biomass is converted to bio stimulants Agrosatva and Bio Fertilizers & organic manure.

HeiQ AeoniQ™ – technology for more sustainability of textiles – HeiQ (Austria)
HeiQ AeoniQ™ is the disruptive technology and key initiative from HeiQ with the potential to change the sustainability of textiles. It is the first climate-positive continuous cellulose filament yarn, made in a proprietary manufacturing process and the first to reproduce the properties of polyester and nylon yarns in a cellulosic, biodegradable, and endlessly recyclable fibre.
HeiQ AeoniQ™ can be manufactured from different cellulosic raw materials such as pre- and post-consumer textile waste, biotech cellulose, and non-valorized agricultural waste, such as ground coffee waste or banana peels. It naturally degrades after only 12 weeks in the soil. Each ton of HeiQ AeoniQ™ saves 5 tons of CO2 emissions. The first garments made with this innovative cellulosic filament fiber were commercially launched in January 2023.

TENCEL™ LUXE – lyocell filament yarn – Lenzing (Austria)
TENCEL™ LUXE is LENZING’s new versatile lyocell yarn that offers an urgently needed sustainable filament solution for the textile and fashion industry. A possible botanical alternative for silk, long-staple cotton, and petrol-based synthetic filaments, is derived from wood grown in renewable, sustainably managed forests, and produced in an environmentally sound, closed-loop process that recycles water and reuses more than 99 % of organic solvent. Certified by The Vegan Society, it is suitable for a wide range of applications and fabric developments, from finer high fashion propositions to denim constructions, seamless and activewear innovations, and even agricultural and technical solutions.

Nullarbor™ – Nanollose & Birla Cellulose (Australia/India)
In 2020, Nanollose & Birla Cellulose started a journey to develop and commercialize tree-free lyocell from bacterial cellulose, called Nullarbor™. The name derives from the Latin “nulla arbor” which means “no trees”. Initial lab research at both ends led to a joint patent application with the patent “production of high-tenacity lyocell fibres made from bacterial cellulose”.
Nullarbor is significantly stronger than lyocell made from wood-based pulp; even adding small amounts of bacterial cellulose to wood pulp increases the fibre toughness. In 2022, the first pilot batch of 260kg was produced with 20 % bacterial pulp share. Several high-quality fabrics and garments were produced with this fibre. The collaboration between Nanollose & Birla Cellulose now focuses on increasing the production scale and amount of bacterial pulp in the fibre.

Circulose® – makes fashion circular – Renewcell (Sweden)
Circulose® made by Renewcell is a branded dissolving pulp made from 100 % textile waste, like worn-out clothes and production scraps. It provides a unique material for fashion that is 100 % recycled, recyclable, biodegradable, and of virgin-equivalent quality. It is used by fibre producers to make staple fibre or filaments like viscose, lyocell, modal, acetate or other types of man-made cellulosic fibres. In 2022, Renewcell, opened the world’s first textile-to-textile chemical recycling plant in Sundsvall, Sweden – Renewcell 1. The plant will eventually reach 120,000 tons of annual capacity.

Sparkle sustainable sanitary pads – Sparkle Innovations (United States)
Globally, around 300 billion period products are discarded every year, resulting in millions of tons of non-biodegradable waste. Since most conventional sanitary pads contain up to 90 % plastics, they do not biodegrade for around 600 years. Sparkle has designed sustainable, plastic-free, biodegradable and compostable Sparkle sanitary pads. From product to packaging, they are made up of around 90 % cellulose-based materials with top sheet, absorbent core, release paper, wrapping paper and packaging made of cellulose-based fibres. Whether Sparkle pads end up in a compost pit, are incinerated or end up in a landfill, they are a more sustainable alternative compared to conventional pads that contain large amounts of plastics, complex petro-chemical based ingredients and artificial fragrances. When tested according to ISO 14855-1 by a leading independent lab in Europe, Sparkle pads reached over 90 % absolute biodegradation within 90 days in commercial composting conditions.

• Lenzing again recognized for sustainable sourcing, innovation and transparency
• Lenzing achieves the highest category for the third time already

The Lenzing Group achieved first place in the “Hot Button Ranking” of the Canadian non-profit organization Canopy, thus confirming its leading role in the areas of sustainability and responsible wood and pulp sourcing. Lenzing can also once again celebrate a dark green shirt, synonymous with the highest category.

In this ranking, which receives a lot of attention in the textile and apparel industry, Canopy evaluates the world’s 34 largest producers of cellulosic fibers in terms of their sustainable wood and pulp sourcing, their efforts with regard to the use of alternative raw materials and their achievements in the protection of ancient and endangered forests. Resource preservation is a key element of Lenzing’s corporate strategy and at the core of its innovation agenda. The sustainable production of TENCEL™, VEOCEL™ and LENZING™ ECOVERO™branded specialty fibers is based on these principles.

Promoting the circular economy
With its REFIBRA™ and Eco Cycle technologies, Lenzing offers solutions for transforming the textile and nonwovens industries towards a circular economy. In line with its vision for the circular economy, “We give waste a new life. Every day.” Lenzing is driving the industry toward a full circular economy by striving to give waste a new life in all aspects of its core business and developing circular solutions together with potential partners inside and outside the current value chain. A milestone on this path is the cooperation with the Swedish pulp producer Södra. The two global market leaders, who have been proactively promoting the circular economy in the fashion industry for many years, are joining forces to give the topic a further boost and make a decisive contribution to solving the global textile waste problem by making fibers from post-consumer textiles.

Today, Lenzing offers lyocell fibers made from 30 percent recycled cotton waste. The company aims to launch lyocell, modal and viscose staple fibers with up to 50 percent recycled post-consumer content on a commercial scale by 2025 and to develop a new circular business model by closing the loops for post-consumer waste. By 2025, the company plans to enter into further partnerships with 25 key supply chain companies.

The Lenzing Group, a leading provider of wood-based specialty fibers, is expanding its global clean electricity portfolio by gradually transitioning to green energy at its production site in Nanjing. This will enable its Chinese subsidiary Lenzing Nanjing Fibers to use electricity derived solely from renewable sources from 2023 onwards and reduce the site’s carbon emissions by 100,000 tonnes annually. Lenzing only recently announced the transition to green electricity at its Indonesian production facility.

In 2019, Lenzing became the first fiber producer to set a target of halving its carbon emissions by 2030 and becoming climate neutral by 2050. This carbon reduction target has been recognized by the Science Based Targets Initiative. In Nanjing, Lenzing is currently investing in cutting its carbon emissions and converting a standard viscose production line to 35,000 tonnes of TENCEL™ branded modal fibers. Thanks to this move, the Chinese site will exclusively produce eco-friendly specialty fibers.

The company aims to generate more than 75 percent of its fiber revenue from the wood-based, biodegradable specialty fibers business under the TENCEL™, LENZING™, ECOVERO™ and VEOCEL™ brands by 2024. With the launch of the lyocell plant in Thailand in March 2022 and the investments in existing production sites in China and Indonesia, the share of specialty fibers in Lenzing’s fiber revenue is set to exceed the 75 percent target by a significant margin as early as 2023.

• Collaboration with Red Points addresses consumers’ increasing expectations on transparency and highlights Lenzing’s commitment to trademark protection
• Protects interest of Lenzing customer and partners who are making real efforts to enhance the transparency of their value chains
• Builds upon Lenzing’s overall brand protection efforts that verify the authenticity of fibers up to the end products

Lenzing Group, a global producer of wood-based specialty fibers, has announced a partnership with Red Points, a company in online IP infringement detection and removal, to strengthen Lenzing’s existing brand protection efforts globally and enable round-the-clock brand monitoring services. As Lenzing’s textile brands TENCEL™, LENZING™, ECOVERO™, as well as nonwovens brand VEOCEL™ continue to generate widespread demand from industry partners and customers worldwide, it is becoming increasingly important to protect the company’s trademarks and provide full visibility into the brands’ presence online.

Protecting the interest of Lenzing’s partners and consumers
Red Points provides the ideal technology solution to help Lenzing monitor and remove unauthorized use of its trademarks and counterfeits online. The technology works by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automatically detect intellectual property infringements of Lenzing’ trademarks with high accuracy and efficiency.

Brand protection is just one of Lenzing’s ongoing proactive measures aimed at enhancing transparency in the supply chain and protecting the interest of Lenzing’s partners by ensuring they are purchasing genuine Lenzing fibers which meet their high standards.

In 2018, Lenzing launched the Lenzing E-Branding Service which allows Lenzing’s customers, retailers and brand partners to effectively use trademarks in their marketing materials. The platform has been welcomed by partners globally as it continues to deliver value to the fashion, textile and nonwoven sectors by facilitating the traceability of Lenzing’s fibers and enabling customers to promote them effectively.