Lenzing shows innovative Lyocell fibre shoes at Techtextil

May 07, 2015 - Germany

Austria’s leading man-made cellulose fibre producer, Lenzing, is showing its innovative Tencel shoes made from Lyocell fibre, at Techtextil expo.

The variety of the Tencel product portfolio supports the wide application of Tencel in shoes. Tencel is available as a fibre or in powder form. Tencel can be used in inner and outer shoes, as an outer fabric, and in shoe laces and sewing thread.

Properties such as the best moisture management, the natural starting material of wood, and the technical benefits such as its very high tenacity profile including temperature resistance inspire many manufacturers to experiment with the Tencel fibre, the company informs in a statement.

The test and research institute Pirmasens played an important role in the development of shoes with Tencel as did the International Shoe Competence Center of Pirmasens in Germany. All of the prototypes were made at Pirmasens.

Marina Crnoja-Cosic, Lenzing segment manager of technical textiles said, “Innovative shoe manufacturers are searching for eco-friendly and sustainable materials. Tencel has a good reputation when it comes to sustainability and, particularly when it comes to shoes, the moisture management function, which Tencel fulfils to perfection, is a must.”

“We have successfully used the Tencel fibre in functional clothing, technical knitwear and in various cords and ropes for the agricultural industry. In many technical textile applications, the search is on for eco-friendly materials. Tencel is a natural fibre which is sustainable and strong in agricultural applications and yet still biodegradable with an enormous tenacity profile. In this application, Tencel is competing with steel ropes,” Crnoja-Cosic added.

The Austrian company, Legero, is searching for new possibilities in the field of sustainability and is at the point of commercializing a new shoe concept called VIOS. In this shoe, Tencel shoe laces are used for sustainability and work is already underway to further extend Tencel to additional components. (GK)