As consumers adapt to lives lived from home, many are seeking comfort in the sanctuary of home textiles and are embracing sustainable purchase choices for more eco-conscious lifestyles. Consequently, many companies are now making a collective effort to encourage consumers to adopt sustainable home textiles and feel safe in the tranquility of nature.

To explain how the relationship between consumers and home textiles has changed, and how brands are boosting their “green touch” as a result, Ebru Bayramoglu, Director of Global Business Development Textile at Lenzing Group, joins us for another edition of our “TENCEL™ Insights” Series.

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Q: How has the relationship between consumers and home textiles products changed over the past year?

Ebru: In 2020, consumers spent far more time indoors, whether due to stay-at-home orders, or long-term remote working. Many consumers across the world are also facing the same heightened uncertainty. Both these trends have led to home textiles becoming an incredibly important part of our daily lives. Whether curling up on the couch of an cozy evening, or sliding into a comfortable, warm and soothing bed, home textiles are now one of our greatest and closest companions, meaning consumers now hold a newfound desire for better quality, and exquisite comfort.

We have also observed a broad shift towards mindful consumption alongside a greater demand for sustainable products, across many segments of the textiles industry. The reason this is so exciting for home textiles in particular is that consumers are now seeking more high-quality home textiles that are also kinder to the environment.

Q: How has the textiles industry adapted to cater for this heightened interest in sustainable home products?

Ebru: Currently, the home textiles segment receives less recognition than attention-grabbing eco-friendly fashion at the forefront of the trend-sphere. However, the strides home textiles producers are making to become more environmental friendly have showcased an exciting and booming trend, laying the groundwork for a more sustainable future in the home industry.

Many home textiles brands are now considering adopting a “green touch” for their products and collections, by transitioning to fibers and fabrics made from sustainable raw materials which can drastically reduce environmental burden and carbon footprint. They are also much less energy and water intensive to produce and are even cheaper than some synthetic fibers.

Cellulose fibers even provide superior features and performance characteristics for end-users. For example, our TENCEL™ branded lyocell fibers offer exquisite softness, ultimate comfort and natural bacteria resistance and are also more durable, essential for items that require frequent washes. Each of these fibers’ qualities are crucial for products like bed linen, upholstery and towels etc.

Q: With an increased focus on sustainable raw materials by brands, how is the TENCEL™ brand helping home textiles brands become more environmentally friendly?

Ebru: We consider ourselves industry leaders in innovation and have developed numerous ground-breaking technologies for our TENCEL™ branded home fibers. For example, we pioneered the TENCEL™ x REFIBRA™ technology, which involves upcycling cotton scraps from garment production, mixing them with wood pulp and producing new virgin TENCEL™ Lyocell fibers to make exquisite fabrics and textiles. This is an industry breakthrough production process that rethinks efficient and environmentally friendly production from the ground up.

The TENCEL™ brand sits at the forefront of driving sustainability in the home textiles industry. We have a global reputation for the use of 100% renewable raw materials, and production processes with a low environmental footprint. This means brands can radically reduce their environmental footprint, and consumers can participate in the eco-movement easily through adding a touch of green to their lives, with the use of sustainable home textiles.