15. Sep 2025
From Tea Bags to Spacecraft
LENZING™ Industrial, the industrial application arm of Lenzing produces fibres that combine high performance with low environmental impact.
The application of these LENZING™ Lyocell fibres can be found in specialized and unlikely places – even in space.
Lenzing is working to reduce the environmental footprint of industrial products, processes and machinery through working with value chain partners to implement Lyocell fibres as a cellulosic alternative to synthetic fibres. Lenzing has refined the production process over the years, steadily reducing energy consumption through continuous optimization without compromising on performance.
Lenzing fibres have a lower impact on the environment through the award-winning fibre production process, the natural biodegradability of the fibre structure (as certified by TÜV AUSTRIA), and the sustainable origin of the wood used to make the fibres. Lenzing’s wood is sustainably grown and harvested from certified and controlled sources following the guidelines of the Lenzing Wood and Pulp Policy. Throughout the production process of Lenzing fibres, solvent recovery and reuse is maximized, process water is recycled, unused components are recovered as co-products, and the use of renewable energy is optimized. The fibres are also available with FSC certification upon request.
In terms of properties, Lenzing Industrial’s Lyocell fibres have a microfibrillar structure, good thermal stability and chemical resistance that enables a wide range of technical applications and products, including filter media, electrical separators, and aerospace applications.
Lenzing Lyocell Shortcut fibres are well suited for a variety of filtration applications including industrial and automotive air and liquid filters. As these fibres are certified safe for food contact, they are also suitable for food and beverage filtration such as lightweight tea bags and coffee filter papers, and high-capacity depth filters.
The microfibrillar structure and thermal stability of Lyocell Shortcut fibres make them a suitable ingredient in electrical separators for applications such as lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors and electrolytic condensers, particularly in the automotive sector and the new generation of electric vehicles. Separators made of Lyocell fibres perform well, have good dimensional stability over a wider temperature range compared to polyolefin-based separators and show low internal resistance for high current flows. Furthermore, they offer excellent cycling stability, which is reflected in prolonged battery life.
A component of aeroshells known as Domestic Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablators (PICA-D) and part of the rigid casings that help protect spacecraft from extreme heat (above 3,800°C) uses Lyocell fibres because their low alkaline metal content makes them suitable as the precursor for carbon fibres used in these heat shields. These carbon fibres based on Lyocell fibres have low thermal conductivity, low density, high purity, and excellent ablation resistance – all important components for aerospace and high-temperature industrial applications such as ablative and heat shield applications.
The above examples showcase only a fraction of the wide variety of applications where Industrial fibres are used for their high-performing characteristics. There are more applications on the horizon as Lenzing and its value chain partners continue to innovate, break boundaries and exceed expectations.
With decades of experience, Lenzing will continue to reshape the industry to offer the best premium, high performing lyocell fibres with low-environmental impact for a wide range of industrial applications. AT
www.lenzingindustrial.com