Artistic Milliners and Lenzing have introduced a new Tencel fiber called 32MM, designed to create soft fabrics with the authentic feel of classic cotton jeans. This fiber's unique structure allows Artistic Milliners to increase the use of recycled cotton in fabrics.

Unlike traditional Tencel, the shorter 32MM fiber blends more seamlessly with cotton and has a greater surface area, enabling better binding with recycled fiber. According to Artistic Milliners, traditional Tencel can blend with up to 30% recycled cotton, while the 32MM fiber can accommodate up to 50 percent, as per their study.

Artistic Milliners used recycled fibers from its Circular Park recycling facility for the initial collection. The mill focused on two blend ratios, one with 30 percent 32MM and another with 16 percent. The flexibility of 32MM allows blending with various materials, including post-industrial cotton waste and regular Tencel. The initial collection features six fabrics that maintain the softness characteristic of Tencel while achieving authentic wash downs, suitable for a variety of clothing such as jeans, skirts, pants, and tops.

Omar Ahmed, Artistic Milliners managing director, emphasizes the companies' dedication to sustainable innovation, and Tuncay Kılıçkan, Lenzing head of global business development, denim, highlights the partnership's role in fostering circularity and scaling solutions without compromising quality or customer satisfaction. With 32MM, consumers get both comfort and an authentic denim look.

The collaboration between Artistic Milliners and Lenzing in introducing the 32MM fiber exemplifies how partnerships contribute to circular practices and expand solutions while maintaining quality and customer satisfaction. The ongoing research and development activities aim to achieve sustainability goals and enhance the comfort and denim aesthetics provided to consumers.