Austria's Lenzing & NFW to offer sustainable leather alternatives

Mirum is a categorically unique material class, perfect for luxury accessories, fashion, footwear, automotive, and home goods. Tencel Lyocell and Modal fibres are derived from sustainable wood sources and produced using environmentally responsible processes. The fibres are identifiable, verifiable, and traceable through Lenzing’s Fiber Identification technology which enables a physical identification of fibre origin at different stages of production. This enables full traceability of the fibre materials used during the production process, be it on a piece of fabric or finished product, like garments or footwear, the companies said in a joint press release.

Completely free from plastic, Mirum is made from natural rubber, plant and mineral pigments, plant-based oils and waxes, and an all-natural fabric backing. Each Mirum recipe is unique, but the commitment to using only natural ingredients is unchanging. Instead of relying on PU binders, a characteristic of most leather alternatives, Mirum uses natural rubber and plant oils for binding.

NFW’s unique approach incorporates a diversity of natural ingredients like biobased charcoal, clay, cork powder, rice hulls, coconut fibres, recycled denim or seaweed to develop colour or add visual interest. At the end of its life cycle, products made with Mirum can be recycled into new Mirum or ground up and returned to the earth, while Tencel fibres are compostable and biodegradable, enabling complete circularity of finished products. The collaboration creates a uniquely sustainable alternative for leather applications as both Tencel fibres and Mirum are versatile enough to be used in multiple applications.

“At NFW, we believe that plant matter is the only material that can scale to replace plastic. Since its inception, Mirum has been engineered to benefit our planet. By adding fabrics made of Tencel to Mirum, we can enhance material transparency and traceability, while guaranteeing comfort and great hand feel on the skin. We are thrilled to join hands with the Tencel brand, and we will continue creating greener alternatives for the fashion industry,” said Oihana Elizalde, vice president and general manager of Mirum at NFW. One of the best examples of the collaboration is the Allbirds Plant Pacer, which released last fall. The shoe’s upper is made with Mirum lined with Tencel.

Mirum is an ideal option for designers and brands looking to reduce their environmental footprint and expand their creative palettes. Tencel fibres are soft and pleasant on the skin, with outstanding moisture management. Adding backer material made of Tencel fibres to Mirum not only creates a truly sustainable option but also one that enhances the comfort level of products made from leather alternatives.

“This partnership is a perfect example of how the combination of our sustainable Tencel fibres and innovative materials like Mirum can go beyond traditional textiles. With innovation at heart, there are infinite possibilities for application of the new material. Tencel fibres used as backer not only increase the level of transparency and traceability of Mirum, but also enhance comfort—and with a very low carbon footprint. We are confident that the versatile material will be loved by supply chain partners and brands across footwear, fashion apparel, accessories, furniture, and even automotive industries,” said Birgit Schnetzlinger, head of business development functional wear and footwear, global textiles business at Lenzing AG.

Both Lenzing and NFW will be showcasing their products at Lineapelle 2023 in Hall 9, booth H02. The product is commercially available now globally and the Mirum x Tencel leather alternative product will be added to Lenzing’s E-Branding Service this year.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)