Exploring Forest-Based Textiles
It’s International Day of Forests… and we’re thrilled to announce today that the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC UK) is now a sponsor of SFW!
Here, SFW Volunteer Alex looks into fibres that derived from trees. Yep, that’s right. Many of our favourite fabrics are composed of fibres that originate in forests - and their use is on the up in the industry. What are the benefits and what are the considerations?
Forest-based textiles, such as rayon, viscose, modal or lyocell are increasingly being used in the fashion industry. This growth has been driven by the increasing demand for renewable and sustainable textiles. However, these materials can sometimes be sourced from high risk areas where deforestation or poor forestry practices are common. Purchasing a FSC certified fabric ensures that the textile fibre has been sourced from a forest that has been sustainably managed that not only has environmental but social and economic benefits as well.
FSC is the world’s most trusted sustainable forest certification and we are super honoured that they will be sponsoring our Sustainable Fashion Week Event. Excitingly if forest based fibres come from well-managed forests they can be more environmentally friendly than synthetic fibres, such as nylon or polyester, or even natural fibres, such as cotton.
When purchasing garments FSC labelling ensures that the materials used originate from sustainable and legal sources.
We have pulled together information on two of the most widely used forest based textiles, Tencel and Modal. A number of companies produce these fabrics however the Lenzing AG* certification ensures that when producing these natural, renewable fibres the natural environment is also protected by only sourcing the fibre from FSC certified forests.
Tencel
Tencel™ is a type of rayon fabric produced by the Austrian company, Lenzing AG* and comes from Eucalyptus trees, a natural renewable resource. The Eucalyptus trees are all grown in sustainable, FSC certified forests. Lenzing uses a closed loop production process to produce the Tencel fabric meaning that 99% of chemicals used are recycled. The production of Tencel is light on energy and water consumption and the finished fabric has a luxurious soft handle.
Modal
Modal™ is a sustainable viscose produced by the Austrian company, Lenzing AG*. It comes from Beech trees, a natural renewable resource. Lenzing grow Beech trees in sustainable, European, PEFC certified forests. The production of Modal uses 10-20 times less water that the production of Cotton. The finished fabric is 50% more absorbent than cotton so clothes never feel sweaty or sticky. Modal fabric is extremely hard-wearing and keeps its shape and finish, even after frequent washing. Unlike garments made from synthetic fibres like nylon and polyester, Modal does not trap perspiration and odors. The fabric also has a beautiful drape and silkysmooth feel.
When we think about tree-derived products in the fashion industry our minds usually go straight to packaging and paper products. However, these are just part of how fashion interacts with forestry… our clothing, and indeed footwear, have much stronger links than many realise. We’ll be sharing some interesting facts and stats in the next few days exploring consumers’ understanding of forest-based fashion products.
For more information on the certification of forest-based products and the essential protection of woodland, visit FSC’s website. Follow the link below and scroll down to the ‘Out of the Woods’ podcast series.
https://www.fsc-uk.org/en-uk/business-area/business-document-centre/fashion