Circularity has been a pillar of the denim industry’s sustainability efforts in recent years, as initiatives such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Jeans Redesign and the Denim Deal focus on growing the percent of recycled inputs in jeans.
To meet their goals, denim mills are investing in innovation, including adopting new cellulosic materials and branching out beyond cotton. The array of fibers available to manufacturers is now growing as Eastman expands its circular Naia™ Renew staple fiber to denim.
“Naia™ Renew’s extension to denim was a strategic decision driven by the growing demand for innovative and sustainable materials in the fashion industry,” said Carolina Sister Cohn, global marketing lead, textiles at Eastman. “As Naia™ has gained significant traction in the fashion world, we recognized the opportunity to cater to the denim industry’s desire for sustainability. Entering the denim industry was a natural progression for us, and we are delighted with the positive response it has received.”
Naia™ Renew was initially introduced in 2020 as Naia™ circular cellulose acetate, produced from recycled content. Comprised of 60 percent sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40 percent certified recycled waste (based on GRS mass balance), Naia™ Renew provides a stream for hard-to-recycle materials like carpets and plastic packaging through its molecular recycling process. The closed-loop production process recycles solvents and a dry spinning method cuts down on water used. In addition, Naia™ is certified biodegradable and compostable, ensuring it does not leave a lasting waste footprint.
“By choosing Naia™ Renew, manufacturers and brands can make significant progress in recycling, promoting circularity, reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact,” said Sister Cohn.
Although Naia™ Renew boasts sustainability benefits, it also brings properties such as quick drying, softness and odor management to jeans.
“Naia™ Renew cellulose acetate fiber for denim is a new ingredient that combines comfort, style and sustainability,” said Sister Cohn. “With Naia™ Renew, you can fulfill consumers’ needs for a denim ingredient that delivers exceptional comfort in any season.”
Denim mills including Advance Denim, Kilim, Kipas, Maritas, Realteks, Calik, Indigo, Soorty, Rajby, Lucky Denim and Yuanji have partnered with Eastman to create commercial fabrics with Naia™ Renew. Fabrics feature a blend of Naia™ with a variety of other fibers such as cotton, lyocell and recycled polyester and range from lightweight 6-8 oz. denim to midweight textiles up to 12 oz. and even heavier weights, allowing Naia™ to be used for denim pants, jackets, shirts, dresses and more.
To create quality denim with Naia™ Renew, mills may need to adjust some of their spinning and weaving processes from typical cotton methods. Helping them make this shift, Eastman has a global technical team that can provide support and advice.
“Many of my customers are looking for softness, performance and sustainability in their products,” said Mark Ix, director of North American marketing at Advance Denim. “Naia™ Renew stands out as the only fiber that fulfills all of these needs in a single solution. Additionally, it offers a cool-to-the-touch feel, enhancing comfort and providing a unique cooling experience. With Naia™ Renew, we can achieve comfort, cooling and sustainability all in one fiber.”
Naia™ Renew’s denim debut is just the latest initiative in Eastman’s circularity strategy. The group has entered partnerships to facilitate closed-loop solutions, including working with Patagonia to recycle 8,000 pounds of unusable clothing and teaming up with reverse logistics firm Debrand to recycle 5,000 pounds of pre- and post-consumer apparel waste from fashion brands. It also recently introduced Naia™ Renew ES—which stands for “enhanced sustainability”—that boosts the recycled content portion to 60 percent.
“We’re eager to link arms with sustainability-focused fashion brands to drive significant transformations within the fashion industry,” said Sister Cohn.
Click here to learn more about Naia™ Renew.