When environmental responsibility inspires product design, the results can be revolutionary as SENSIL®, the brand of premium Nylon 6.6 created by NILIT, has demonstrated. The company’s most recent new product launch, SENSIL® ByNature, is the first-ever premium Nylon 6.6 to incorporate renewable bio-based ingredients, by using a certified Biomass Balance (BMB) approach, that allows NILIT to reduce fossil raw material, a major advancement in sustainable Nylon for performance apparel and other markets. The specially engineered Nylon 6.6 results in apparel that meets all of the performance, comfort, and longevity benefits designers and consumers expect from SENSIL® along with a significantly smaller carbon footprint.
The Beauty of Biomass Balance
The sustainable materials in SENSIL® ByNature are created by incorporating renewable feedstocks in the very first stages of fiber production. These bio-based materials are made from reclaimed organic waste by a certified Biomass Balance (BMB) process. This important process has been pioneered by BASF in the chemical industry and NILIT is the first company to apply the BMB approach to Nylon 6.6 for apparel fabrics and other applications.
The revolutionary technology in SENSIL® ByNature hits on multiple critical sustainability goals:
1) Use More Renewable Resources: Shifts from non-renewable to renewable raw materials.
2) Reduce Carbon Footprint: CO2 and other GHG emissions are decreased.
3) Conserve Natural Resources: Fossil resources are saved.
Currently, the majority of raw materials used to make SENSIL® ByNature premium Nylon 6.6 is using the renewable feedstock through the mass balance approach. NILIT engineers have carefully crafted SENSIL® ByNature to retain all the functionality, softness, and durability that designers and consumers expect from SENSIL®.
The Power of Conscious Consumers
The calls for more sustainable apparel have grown exponentially as consumers realize how their choices can impact the environment. However, in selecting more sustainable apparel, these enlightened consumers refuse to accept any trade-offs of performance, comfort, style, or quality in order to get the planet impact reduction they expect. Sustainability-minded brands and retailers who target conscious consumers are responding with high-quality, versatile, attractive, functional designs that are made responsibly with environmentally-considerate materials resulting in apparel that looks good, feels good, and lasts for a long, long time.
Sustainable design for this vocal segment of apparel purchasers requires a shift in mindset. Not only do conscious designers have to select the right materials and accessories and create their apparel in ethically operated facilities, they must also design apparel in ways that fulfill lifecycle expectations as well. That means choosing materials and finishes that will not inhibit recyclability or biodegradability or expose the planet to hazardous chemicals when the apparel is finally discarded. Thoughtful design also means investing in quality materials that retain performance benefits and aesthetics for a long time. Conscious consumers emphasize quality and longevity as primary factors in their sustainability value equations.
The collection of sustainability benefits in SENSIL® ByNature combined with thoughtful apparel design means that clothing made with these remarkable fabrics has a much stronger Life Cycle Analysis. From renewable ingredients at the start of life to extended garment lifespan at the end, SENSIL® ByNature provides a comprehensive environmental story that appeals specifically to consumers willing to spend their money on sustainable fashion that aligns with their personal values and contributes to their overall sense of well-being.
The Time is Now
As a leading Nylon manufacturer, NILIT’s management takes very seriously the company’s responsibility to help move the textile and apparel industry to a more environmentally responsible position in the global marketplace. Recent innovations in clean energy generation and manufacturing technology at NILIT’s plants around the world have significantly reduced the company’s production footprint. In addition, NILIT has added important leadership positions to its executive team to focus on and accelerate progress toward the company’s sustainability goals.
NILIT also has invested heavily in product development to rapidly enlarge the SENSIL® portfolio of sustainable premium Nylon 6.6 products. By creating SENSIL® products that inspire conscious designers and appeal to sustainability-minded consumers, NILIT can more quickly affect positive change at multiple points along the apparel value chain.
In addition to SENSIL® ByNature, NILIT has recently launched multiple new sustainable premium Nylon 6.6 products that together represent the broadest portfolio of sustainable solutions in the industry:
SENSIL® BioCare contains a unique technology that helps reduce the persistence of textile waste in the ocean and landfills. The special fiber has been tested and proven to biodegrade in seawater and soil exceedingly more rapidly than conventional nylon*.
SENSIL® EcoCare is made with pre-consumer recycled Nylon in place of virgin materials.
SENSIL® WaterCare pre-dyed premium Nylon 6.6 eliminates 100% of the substantial volumes of water required for the traditional textile wet dyeing process.
Made and Marketed with Care
All SENSIL® products are manufactured according to NILIT’s stringent Total Product Sustainability (TPS) criteria that aim to reduce carbon footprint, eliminate toxic emissions, conserve water, energy, and other natural resources, and eradicate waste. NILIT collaborates with supply chain partners to identify additional opportunities to more quickly advance sustainability from multiple approaches.
Educating and engaging with conscious consumers through collateral, social media, and other communication channels is an important tool for accelerating sustainability as well. NILIT works closely with brands and retailers to market sustainable fabrics and apparel via branded hang tags, social media campaigns, and other co-marketing and promotional programs that inform and inspire consumers.
Going Above and Beyond
NILIT has also gone outside the boundaries of textiles and apparel to expand the company’s positive influence on sustainability. Last year, NILIT announced sponsorship of The Ocean Foundation’s Blue Resilience Initiative to restore and conserve the ocean’s ecosystems, which are crucial for food production and coastal economies, mitigation of carbon emissions in the atmosphere, and buffering shorelines from bad weather.
Over the past several years, NILIT has aggressively invested in internal initiatives to rapidly improve the company’s environmental footprint. Plus, new SENSIL® products provide the apparel industry with remarkable, sustainable fabrics that help save precious natural resources, protect the Earth’s ecosystems, reduce carbon footprint and waste, and significantly better the lifecycle of high-quality, functional apparel. NILIT’s multi-faceted approach to sustainability and the company’s commitment to quickly bring about substantial improvements combine to form an industry-leading business model for companies throughout the apparel value chain.
Learn more about NILIT’s programs and sustainable SENSIL® products at www.SENSIL.com and www.NILIT.com.
*SENSIL® BioCare has been tested according to ASTM D6691 Standard Test Method For Determining Aerobic Biodegradation Of Plastic Materials In The Marine Environment and ASTM D5511 Standard Test Method For Determining Anaerobic Biodegradation Of Plastic Materials Under High-Solids Anaerobic-Digestion Conditions with results indicating that Sensil® BioCare yarns will break down more rapidly than conventional nylon.
