Lenzing and Kentaur Cook up the Latest in Circular Chef’s Wear
Lenzing Group has teamed up with Danish workwear specialist Kentaur on a pilot collection of eco-friendlier uniforms for chefs.
Centered on circularity, durability and functionality, the new kitchen workwear is made of 50 percent Tencel brand lyocell fibers with Refibra technology and 50 percent recycled polyester and is designed to reduce the amount of virgin raw materials in the workwear space, without compromising quality and comfort.
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The collaboration reinforces Lenzing and Kentaur’s commitment to developing a circular model for the newly dynamic workwear sector, especially in chef’s gear.
Alexandra Steger, business development for Lenzing’s workwear division, notes that the partnership is a milestone of sorts in the collective goal of shephering the textile sector toward a circular model. It also illustrates how the company’s products combine circularity with functionality.
“The collection is not only made with quality fabrics of recycled materials which are the same high quality as virgin raw materials, but it comes with the added value of giving textile waste a second life,” Steger said. “We are confident that the comfort and quality of the recycled materials in Tencel Lyocell fibers with Refibra technology will also spread into other types of workwear, like healthcare and hospitality sectors.”
Kentaur’s objective is to make sustainability available to everyone in the textiles service industry. The company’s customers can expect the products to be highly durable and produced to be socially and environmentally responsible, like the circularity mission it has shared with Lenzing since first collaborating in 2018, according to Christian Beirholm, Kentaur’s chief commercial officer.
“Our latest collaboration in incorporating recycled cellulosic materials made with Tencel Lyocell fibers and Refibra technology represents a key milestone in driving circularity for workwear as we demonstrate that using recycled content does not compromise on performance of the product,” Beirholm said.
Containing a blend of Tencell Lyocell fibers with Refibra technology with recycled polyester, Kentaur’s new pilot collection delivers workwear offering durability and comfort, with the added benefits of circularity and traceability. Tencel branded lyocell fibers boast a better eco footprint than generic lyocell fibers, and Lenzing’s Refibra technology blended with recycled content further reduces the environmental impact of the workwear garments. It is also highly traceable in yarns, fabrics and garments using the Austrian company’s innovative fiber identification technology, which enhances supply chain transparency at every step of the production chain.
Lenzing puts responsible practices at the heart of the industry and this collaboration on the chef’s uniforms showcases Lenzing and Kentaur’s commitment to circularity. Like Lenzing, Kentaur has well-established ambitions to tackle the social and environmental challenges of the supply chain, and its partnership with Lenzing has enabled it to get closer to that goal by helping it produce high quality and circular products. Lenzing will be showcasing the pilot collection of chef’s wear at the A+A trade fair in Dusseldorf, Germany from Oct. 24-27, along with its latest portfolio of protective and workwear.
