As you have probably already noticed, at Hoofment we always try to select the most resource-efficient material we can find for our sustainable riding clothing! And from our point of view, it is also super important to deal with this as a fashion brand, because the global fashion industry is unfortunately very harmful to our environment. The production of the substances alone causes extremely high water consumption worldwide and a very high level of pollution through the use of chemicals, which are not only bad for the environment but also for our health. In cotton production, for example, up to 20,000 liters of water are needed to produce one kg of cotton. Added to this is the high use of pesticides to protect the plants from pests. And the working conditions for the workers are anything but fair!
However, there are now some fabrics on the market that are produced in more sustainable ways. One of them is lyocell, a material made from wood fibers whose natural fibers are therefore biodegradable.
Lyocell is super versatile and can be used throughout the textile industry. In addition to the aspect of sustainability, the material also has great properties such as high breathability, great absorbency and skin-friendliness, which makes the material the perfect fabric for sustainable riding clothing or other Lyocell sportswear! That's why we at Hoofment really like working with Lyocell and want to tell you a little more about this environmentally friendly and super practical material in this blog post.
So let's start from scratch - How is Lyocell made and why is it sustainable?
Lyocell mostly consists of the cellulose of the eucalyptus tree, but sometimes birch or oak are also used as raw materials. The cellulose is obtained from the walls of the individual cells of the tree. The cellulose is then broken up and mixed with water and a solvent. During this process, the cellulose dissolves and forms a spinning solution, which is then pressed through spinnerets. The resulting fibers can then either be spun directly into a yarn or further processed. A fabric can then be woven from the yarn.
The production process under which Lyocell is manufactured can also be called "closed cycle" because no harmful by-products are produced during the manufacturing process. The solvent used is non-toxic and can be used over and over again, so it is not released into the environment. This process and the environmentally friendly cultivation of the eucalyptus without artificial irrigation make Lyocell so sustainable! In addition, the production is short and simple compared to man-made fibers, because the process from the small shredding of the wood to the finished cellulose fibers takes a maximum of two and a half hours, which also saves water and energy.
As already mentioned, lyocell is often made from eucalyptus, a rapidly renewable raw material. In addition, the trees can also grow on soil that is no longer nutrient-rich enough for other plants, which means that the cultivation is not in competition with the cultivation of other raw materials.
The trees also do not require pesticides or other chemicals to grow, nor do they require additional watering. Even in the production itself, no toxic chemicals are used. Another advantage is that much less water is used compared to cotton production, for example.
To summarize briefly and concisely for you, Lyocell has the following advantages in particular:
- The eucalyptus tree is a rapidly renewable resource and does not need any pesticides or additional irrigation during cultivation
- The manufacturing process is a "closed cycle". This means that the solvents that are used are used over and over again and so there are no waste products.
- The production is super fast, which saves even more water and energy
What makes Lyocell such a good material for our sustainable equestrian clothing?
Due to the strong breathability and high absorbency, the fabric is particularly interesting for brands that produce active wear and Lyocell sportswear is an increasingly popular, sustainable alternative. These properties also make Lyocell a suitable fabric for our sustainable riding clothing.
The fabric also offers a soft and comfortable feel and is antibacterial. In addition, it is very robust and hard-wearing, which makes Lyocell sportswear a high-quality product. The fabric can also be interesting for allergy sufferers and people with sensitive skin, as it is very soft and smooth and therefore hardly irritates the skin.
But what makes lyocell so special compared to other materials? Lyocell vs Polyester: Polyester is a fully synthetic fiber made from polymers. This means that the fibers are made of plastic. In addition to the higher environmental impact, polyester is not very breathable and lyocell is therefore much better suited for sportswear and sustainable riding clothing to wear the material directly on the skin.
Lyocell vs. Cotton: Before we can compare the two materials, it is important to distinguish between conventional and organic cotton. If we look at the production of conventional cotton, Lyocell is clearly the more sustainable option. However, if we compare lyocell to organic cotton, the environmental impact is quite similar. With regard to the production of sportswear, lyocell sportswear is better suited than cotton sportswear due to its absorbency.
In which of our sustainable riding clothes can you find Lyocell?
Lyocell is very popular as Lyocell sportswear because the material offers the perfect properties for clothing that needs to be breathable yet comfortable. And that's why we also use the material for products that should be particularly breathable: We use Lyocell for our functional shirts and T-shirts! :)
Our functional shirts and t-shirts are super soft and fit like a second skin! Due to the properties of the lyocell, they are antibacterial and that is also particularly important with these products, which are so close to the body. The fact that the functional shirts and t-shirts have an antibacterial function also means that they absorb odors less quickly and therefore do not have to be washed as often. Due to the durability and robustness of the material, the shirts are great for everyday use in the stable, making Lyocell a great material for sustainable riding clothing.
In summary, lyocell is a great, sustainable alternative to other fabrics. In addition to sustainability, the material also has other properties that make it versatile, because it is breathable, hard-wearing and offers great wearing comfort. For these reasons, Lyocell sportswear is so popular and the fabric is also great for sustainable riding clothing. Even if the price of the material is higher than that of other fabrics, Lyocell can convince with its quality, because you can then enjoy a part made of Lyocell for many years, which ultimately balances out the price.
We hope that you had fun learning more about the Hoofment functional shirt and t-shirts, which you may already have at home, and we definitely promise you many more products made of this really special material in the future to release lyocell! :) This week we released a new functional shirt and a new lyocell t-shirt - so feel free to visit our shop. :)
Sources:
- https://www.recolution.de/pages/organic-cotton
- https://www.hausvoneden.de/sustainability/lyocell-alle-vor-und-nachteile/
- https://www.lenzing.com/de/ https://lyocell.info/de/
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