TENCEL® C the fiber with cosmetic benefits

What is TENCEL® C – the fiber from the botanic world featuring an ocean extract
The TENCEL® fiber is well known for its favorable skin properties. Due to its smooth fiber structure it is particularly silky on the skin. Its botanic origin – TENCEL® is extracted from wood – gives it excellent breathing properties and makes it the Moisture Manager among textile fibers.

The combination with a natural substance from the oceans, chitosan, now makes TENCEL® a cosmetic fiber featuring an ocean extract. The substance of chitosan is extracted from the shells of crustaceans and then applied to the fiber. Chitosanis a naturally replenishable polysaccaride that is abundantly available.

Chitosan is used in cosmetics and in the pharmaceutical industry and is well known for its ability to alleviate itchiness as well as its cell regulating properties, skin protection benefits and antibacterial effects. This natural substance ideally suits TENCEL®. Both raw materials come from Nature and complement each other to perfection.

Following many years of research work, Lenzing has succeeded in soaking a fiber in the chitosan biopolymer and in transferring this to large-scale production. Chitosan is not an easy a substance to master in production. Research scientists at Lenzing developed a special technology to fix the oceanic substance in a permanent manner. Now it can easily withstand up to 50 washing procedures in a commonly used washing machine and does not therefore lose its cosmetic properties.

Pure textile cosmetics
Thanks to the innovative companies, Tejidos Royo and Huber Bodywear, textiles with cosmetic benefits are now possible for the very first time. Yet these two companies could not be more different. An innovative denim producer, Tejidos Royo uses TENCEL® C on the reverse side of its denim fabrics. Its product idea is a “Wellness & Skin Care Denim”. “”We are always searching for new concepts since we see ourselves as an innovative European denim manufacturer. In TENCEL® C, we see enormous potential. Denim is mostly worn directly next to the skin and if our denim now has cosmetic properties and beautifies the skin of the wearer, then it is just perfect,” explains Creative Director, Panos Sofianos.

Huber Bodywear will be launching a product of an entirely different nature. “TENCEL® C is ideal for Huber Bodywear to further extend our product portfolio in the direction of wellness, anti-aging and naturalness,” says Nora Kirst, product manager of Huber Bodywear. “Within Huber’s new positioning, we wish to attract younger and more active target groups. And this is precisely what we can achieve with TENCEL® C. A purist, modern series of lingerie is planned for women and men for the 2012/2 season.”

TENCEL® C is effective
The skin is the largest human organ. The care and health of the skin are thus essential. The skin can only remain healthy and attractive if it is in balance. The basic requirements for healthy skin are: moisture content, a protective function, elasticity and cell renewal. All of these parameters are supported by wearing TENCEL® C next to the skin.

A scientific wear study against cotton revealed that TENCEL® C produces better results. The blind study was carried out with 32 test subjects with healthy skin. For two weeks they wore a stocking made of TENCEL® C on one leg and a stocking made of cotton on the other leg. A dermatologist evaluated skin appearance after the two week test period. In 41 % of the persons tested, the skin appearance under the TENCEL® C stocking was superior revealing less dehydration, fewer wrinkles and less hornification and micro-fractures. In general skin moisture was maintained better under TENCEL® C. Because TENCEL® C acts like a moisture reservoir and prevents the loss of moisture, the skin barrier remains intact and provides protection from environmental damage.

Another study tested cell renewal. Once again it was determined that under TENCEL® C, cell renewal is faster during the healing of a wound.

Source

Lenzing, press release, 2011-02-08.

Supplier

Huber Bodywear
Lenzing Gruppe
Tejidos Royo

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