Wood-based specialty fibres producer Lenzing Group has announced a strategic collaboration with the textile machinery leading Karl Mayer Group. The collaboration aims to enable the smooth adoption of a higher percentage of botanic, biodegradable and fossil-fuel-free materials during textiles production on both warp knitting and flat knitting machines.

With consumers being more mindful of the environmental impact of the products they purchase, there is a growing trend among leading brands and retailers to offer products that are more sustainable and aesthetical. The partnership will enable the adoption of Tencel Lyocell fibres and Tencel Lyocell filament yarn in warp knitting machines and further reduce the environmental impact of using Stoll flat knitting machines with the use of carbon-zero Tencel fibres in its fully fashioned flat knitting process.

As a strategic collaboration between Lenzing and Karl Mayer Group, the partnership represents an important step by the two companies in guiding the industry towards a more sustainable future and underscores their commitment to empowering partners in the textile chain with value-added solutions and innovation in reducing the carbon footprint of their supply chains.

“As a key player in the industry, Lenzing continues to join hands with like-minded partners to pioneer solutions that improve the quality of textile products and enable the ongoing sustainable development and growth of the industry. Through this partnership with the Karl Mayer Group, we will inspire the textile value chain to take proactive steps towards achieving their climate goals with easier adoption of botanic and biodegradable materials, meeting the needs of brands and consumers who are looking for eco-conscious products,” said Florian Heubrandner, Vice President Global Textiles Business at Lenzing.

“The Karl Mayer Group is a leading manufacturer of textile machinery and always has its finger on the pulse of its markets. In addition to productivity, sustainability has become a key success factor for our customers. We work with pioneers throughout the textile value chain to provide them with solutions that have a low environmental impact. Yarn is particularly important in this respect. Recycled man-made fibres can be used with high efficiency on our machines. We want to expand the range of materials that can be processed to include petroleum-free yarn variants through our cooperation with Lenzing. In addition to more sustainability, this will also open up the potential for new product developments,” explained Arno Gärtner, CEO of Karl Mayer Group.

Warp knitting

With more value chain partners and brands opting for sustainable raw materials, there is a need to ensure that existing equipment or machinery that traditionally caters to fibres or yarn made of fossil-based materials can adapt well to botanic alternatives.

The partnership between Lenzing and Karl Mayer Group strives to enable fossil fuel-free materials such as Tencel Lyocell fibres and Tencel Lyocell filament yarn to be processed and optimized on Karl Mayer warp knitting machines and demonstrates the possibilities and varieties that can be created in addition with botanic and biodegradable materials.

Leveraging Lenzing’s technical knowledge of the processing of Tencel Lyocell fibres and filament within the value chain, the partnership also supports yarn makers and spinners in their continuous development and adaptation of yarn for new and different textile applications.

Flat knitting

With a shared vision to lower the environmental impact of the production process, the collaboration reduces carbon footprint with carbon-zero Tencel fibres and decreases material consumption on Stoll flat knitting machines. The knitting method has been applied to an ultrafine flat-knit fabric on 20-gauge machines which qualify to be used for making underwear.

The fully fashioned process is new to this field, as in underwear cut and sew fabrication is established as best practice. Coupled with the adoption of renewable energy sources in textile production plants and effective supply chain management, Lenzing and Karl Mayer Group marry sustainability with innovation to empower manufacturers to achieve ultra-low carbon emissions using botanic and fossil-fuel-free fibres during the production process.

Lenzing and Karl Mayer Group will be showcasing a series of concept products, technical samples and fabrics at the upcoming ITMA 2023 tradeshow in booths (Hall 2-E212 and Hall 4-B-119) to illustrate the potential of knitting innovation leveraged through the collaboration. From then onwards, textile value chain partners can contact Lenzing and Karl Mayer Group to discuss how to achieve greater sustainability in their own operations.

www.lenzing.com

www.karlmayer.com