The Textile Exchange Highlights its Climate+ Vision To Reduce Forest Degradation In Wood Pulp Based Textile Fabrics
Image By Courtesy of The Textile Exchange
Manmade cellulosics (MMCFs) are regenerated fibers usually made from the dissolved wood pulp or “cellulose” of trees. Viscose, lyocell, and modal are all kinds of manmade cellulosics.
Because they’re plant-based, MMCFs are renewable, and so have the potential to be a climate-friendly material if the wood is sourced sustainably and the processing chemicals are handled properly.
Although less well-known than their cousin viscose, manmade cellulosic fibers (MMCF) like lyocell and modal are fast gaining popularity.
But just because lyocell and modal come from a natural source, this doesn’t automatically make them sustainable by default.
We need to ensure that the wood used to make these materials is sourced responsibly, as forests play a vital role in regulating our global climate.
Both lyocell and modal—two of the most common manmade cellulosics—make for soft and versatile fabrics. Lyocell is often used for apparel like underwear and denim, while modal is frequently used for t-shirts and tops, or blended with other materials.
Like other MMCFs, they’re made from pulp from wood, and they’re both biodegradable.
For lyocell, the wood pulp is dissolved using a non-toxic solvent in a closed-loop system, making it a popular choice with companies moving towards more sustainable sourcing.
The Textile Exchange is working to help MMCFs reach their full sustainability potential, so the fashion, textiles and apparel industry can have a positive impact on people and the natural world.
Deforestation Threatens Our Forests And Its Ecosystems.
Moving to cleaner, closed-loop materials options such as lyocell is a good starting point, but more work needs to be done.
Forest degradation, as well as the loss of natural habitat and biodiversity related to unsustainable wood sourcing or poor land management, are associated with all MMCFs.
Many established brands and fiber producers now have wood sourcing policies in place to prevent sourcing from protected and ancient forests.
The most well-known of these is Lenzing, the company behind the TENCEL™ brand, which produces much of the lyocell and modal on the market today.
Textile Exchange Is Working To Ensure That MMCFS Don’t Impact Our Forests, Water, Or Biodiversity.
We’re supporting the fashion and textiles industry in switching to preferred materials that have better environmental and social outcomes than their conventional alternatives.
For MMCFs like lyocell and modal, this means ensuring all wood comes from responsible sources like certified tree plantations and encouraging brands to support the development of forest-free MMCFs using sources like pre- and post-consumer textile waste.
Start With Certification
Companies should look for manmade cellulosics made using wood from certified sources.
Sustainable forest standards include the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), while the CanopyStyle Audit also offers third-party audits to assess producers’ risk of sourcing from endangered forests.
About The Textile Exchange
We’re helping the fashion and textile industry to reconnect with the resources it uses.
We’re a global non-profit driving positive action on climate change across the fashion and textile industry.
We guide and support a growing community of brands, retailers, manufacturers, farmers, and others committed to climate action toward more purposeful production, right from the start of the supply chain.
Our goal is a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas from fiber and raw material production by 2030
At the heart of our strategy is the goal of helping the fashion and textile industry to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that come from fiber and raw material production by 2030.
We call it Climate+.
Climate+ guides the fashion and textile industry towards a shared goal.
At the heart of our organizational strategy, Climate+, is the goal of guiding the industry towards reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fiber and raw material production by 45% by 2030.
But it doesn’t stop there.
The way we lead the industry is unique in how it goes beyond accounting for greenhouse gas emissions to looking at sustainability holistically instead.
