Bursa, June 2nd, 2015

Hans LeitnerProject Manager Special ProjectsBusiness Development

TENCEL® goes BursaSpinning of TENCEL® MICRO

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Content of today’s presentation

Development of Microfibers

Lenzing’s Microfiber portfolio

Processing of Microfibers

Typical applications of Microfibers

Summary

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The “History” of Microfibers

The production of fibers as fine or even finer as Silk with it`s diameter

of 8 – 10µ has always been a target of scientists.

- This idea has been discussedas early as 1665 for the first timeby an English Physicist

Mr. Robert Hooke.

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“History” of Cellulose Microfibers

Developments of Cellulose based Microfibers for "traditional" textile productionstarted mid of 1980.

- Courtaulds Fibers Inc. and Lenzing AG have published information about thedevelopment of Microfibers out of Cellulose as fine as 1.0 dtex mid of the 1980´s .

Promotion and sales of Lenzing MicroModal® started in 1986 / 1987.

- Lenzing MicroModal® yarns - ring as well as open end spun - were initially processed

into woven Ladies wear, sheeting fabrics and to a smaller extent into knits.

- Commercial success of Lenzing MicroModal® started after it has been launched as

Ladies and Men´s underwear.

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Characteristics of Microfibers

Fibers like TENCEL® MICRO aresignificantly finer than any other natural orman made cellulose fibers with 1,3 or 1,7dtex.

Yarns out of Microfibers have about 30 %more fibers in the cross section thanyarns out of 1,3 dtex fibers.

The higher number of fibers in the crosssection the better is- the overall yarn regularity (Uster CV%)- the lower is the number of thin places

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Yarn Cross Section67 % Turkey Dress cotton vs. 33 % TENCEL®MICRO

TENCEL® MICRO fibers are significantly finer and more regular than practicallyall cotton fibers (e.g Turkey Dress Cotton).- Picture has been taken of a yarn from a mercerised fabric

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Yarn Cross Section50 % Lenzing MicroModal® vs. 50 % Supima Cotton

TENCEL®MICRO and Lenzing MicroModal® fibers can be differentiated by theircross section.

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The “Benefits” of Microfibers

Microfibers have been of help to explore new market segments for cellulosicfibers.- High thread counts sheeting fabrics (e.g. 600) are typical fabrics made of TENCEL®

MICRO.- Ladies scarfs made of blends between Lenzing MicroModal® and noble hairs are selling

well since several seasons.

The aesthetic, the appearance and softness of fabrics out of Microfibers issuperior.

Spinners got the chance to expand their range of yarn counts significantly.- TENCEL®MICRO, Lenzing MicroModal® and Lenzing MicroModal® AIR are spun in awide variety of yarn counts from Ne 24 – Ne 300/2 (Ne 165/1 are the finest single yarns).

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Spinning Limits –Cotton Type Spinning

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101520253035404550556065707580859095

100105110115120125130135140145

1,7 dtex 1,3 dtex 1,0 dtex 0,8 dtex

Yarn

count

-N

e

100 fibers - OE 75 fibers - Air Jet

65 fibers - Air Jet 55 fibers - Ring

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The “Benefits” of Microfibers

Yarns out of 100 % Microfibers oryarns containing Microfibers show

excellent quality figures.

Blends of Microfibers are giving betterquality figures than blends based onfibers with 1,3 dtex.

- Practice constantly confirms that even asmall ratio of TENCEL® or TENCEL®

MICRO blended into cotton is helping toimprove the quality of yarns and fabrics.

Yarn strength cN/tex

13,514

14,515

15,516

16,517

17,518

33% Tencel® 0,9/34 33% Tencel® 1,3/38 100% Co - Turkey

Dress

Yarn regularity CVm %

12,5

13

13,5

14

14,5

15

33% Tencel® 0,9/34 33% Tencel® 1,3/38 100% Co - Turkey

Dress

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The “Benefits” of Microfibers

The quality of finished fabric is as wellinfluenced by Microfibers.

The tear strength of cotton/TENCEL® orcotton/TENCEL®MICRO fabrics issuperior to the tear strength of thecotton fabrics (made of 100 % TurkeyDress).

- These figures were found in shirtingsmade of 100 % Turkey Dress andTurkey Dress / TENCEL® MICROblended fabrics out of yarns in Ne 60/1.

- fabric costruction: plain weavewarp density: 58 ends / cmweft density: 32 picks / cm

Tear Strength Warp

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10,5

11

11,5

12

12,5

13

13,5

33% Tencel® 0,9/34 33% Tencel® 1,3/38 100% Co - Turkey

Dress

Tear Strength Weft

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

33% Tencel® 0,9/34 33% Tencel® 1,3/38 100% Co - Turkey

Dress

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Lenzing´s Microfiber Program

Lenzing offers the following Microfibers at present

Lenzing MicroModal® with 1,0 dtex and 34 and 39 mm cut length

Lenzing MicroModal® AIR with 0,8 dtex and 34 mm cut length

TENCEL® MICRO with 0,9 dtex and 34 mm cut length

TENCEL® MICRO LF with 0,9 dtex and 34 mm cut length

TENCEL® MICRO A100 with 1,0 dtex and 38 mm cut length

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Production of Microfibers

Production of Microfibers needed a variety of changes in fiber production.

New spinnerets with smaller diameters of the holes had to be developed.

- We had to learn how to produce, to open and to control almost twice as much fibers

compared to 1,7 dtex fibers - the bulk product in the 1980.

The ideal cut length for Microfibers had to be found.

The fiber finish had to be optimised.

Production capacity of the fiber line had to be reduced.- Intensive inhouse tests were required to evaluate the quality figures of the yarns &

the quality performance of the Microfiber fabrics.

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Processing of Microfibers

Changes & modifications in yarn production had to be considered and tested toproduce yarns of excellent quality out of Microfibers.

The slenderness ratio of 39/1 for Lenzing MicroModal of 1,0 dtex / 39 mm makeMicrofibers sensitive to get entangled during fiber production and opening.- Slenderness ratio = relationship between fiber fineness and staple length.- Fibers of 1,3 dtex or 1,7 dtex of 39 mm staple have a slenderness ratio of 29/1 or 23/1.

Entangled fibers have to be opened carefully to avoid fiber damage and to get aperfect carding web / carded sliver, the basis to produce high quality yarns.- Opening and carding of Microfibers has to be done very carefully to avoid fiber damage.

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Processing of Microfibers –Opening/Carding Opening and Carding are essential processes

to get high quality yarns out of Microfibers.

We prefer to use one but maximum two

openers in the blowroom line.- Kirschner beaters or full covered beaters are used

in Lenzing to open Microfibers.

Customised settings have to be developedwhen processing of TENCEL® MICRO orLenzing MicroModal® will be started.- We suggest to reduce card production at the

beginning.- If production is established, production can be

increased step by step.

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Processing of Microfibers –Opening/Carding

We are confronted with extreme climatic conditions in mills around the globe.

- The best experiences to spin Microfibers have been made with a moisture content of

about 10 – 12 g of water/m³ of air.

- If the moisture content is too high, drafting performance and behaviour will be influencednegatively (drafting force will be increased if the moisture content is too high).

Cards of different technical generations in the spinning mills makes it almostimpossible to give general recommendations for card settings.

- Microfibers are often processed on cards fed with scutcher laps.

- They are processed with card clothing & setting typical for 100 % Cotton.

- High production cards like C 60, C70, TC 07, TC 11 and "antique" cards are common toprocess these fibers.

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Processing of Microfibers - Carding At the following page(s) Lenzing`s basic settings to card Microfibers are shown.

- The card wires used in Lenzing are marked in red.

For the main cylinder we use card wire with 740 ppsi and an angle of 20°.- Main cylinder wires of ~ 800 ppsi and an angle of 25° are as well very common to

process Microfibers.- At present we evaluate a cylinder wire of ~ 660 ppsi but with an angle of ~ 40° (marked

in green).

Our doffer wires have a density of about 500 ppsi.- This doffer wire has helped to improve the quality of the yarns significantly.

At the flats wires with a density of about 400 ppsi are used.

A slight reduction of the sliver weight will be of help to compensate the highernumber of fibers partially when carding Microfibers.- e.g. 4 or 4,5 g/m instead of 5 g/m.

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Card Clothing used at LenzingStandard wire

Man Made Fibers Wire description ppsi angle base width< 1,3 dtex T 20. 25. 0,50. 0806.07 806 25° 0,5

1,3 …1,7 dtex T 25. 20. 0,60. 0742.12 742 20° 0,6

Alternative wireMan Made Fibers Wire description ppsi angle base witdh

T 17.40.0,50.662.0,5 /FGX1 662 40° 0,5

DofferMan Made Fibers Novodoff 30

FlatsMan Made Fibers Wire description

< 1,3 dtex TCC Top 401,3 …1,7 dtex TCC Top 41

Licker InMan Made Fibers T 50.0,5.315.0041.34/V 41 5° 8 rows / inch

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Basic settings - Cards

Licker In speed800 – 900 rpm

Flat settings starting with12/1000 inch - 10/1000 inchsettings like 9 – 8 /1000 inch are commonin Asia

Higher Cylinder speeds arecommon on high speed cards

Production rate between 15 & 30 kg/h

+ Graphik provided by Rieter

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Processing of Microfibers - Drawing

Drawing is a must to improve the parallelisation of the fibers and to eliminatepossible mass variations of the card slivers which would be responsible forcount variations.

Two drawframe passages are strongly recommended to process 100 %Microfibers.- Three drawframe passages might be the reason if the final yarn shows a too high

number of short thick places and neps.

For drawframe blending three drawframe passages are required to get ahomogenius blend.- Customers sometime use a predrawing step for 100 % Cellulose slivers.We see a predrawing process very critical especially when the fibers have been cardedagressively.

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Processing of Microfibers - Drawing

Draw frame blends are the most commonway to blend Lenzing MicroModal® orTENCEL®MICRO fibers with Cotton.

Autoleveller drawframe

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Processing of Microfibers - Drawing At the drawframes we run production speeds of 500 and 400 m/min.

- Depending on the type of drawframe variations of the production speed between200 and 600 m/min can be found in the industry.

Lenzing´s drawframe are set with the distances as shown in the figure.

~ 48 mm ~ 44 mm

Break draft ~ 1,7 & 1,4

+ Graphik provided by Rieter

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Processing of Microfibers - Drawing To get the best sliver regularity we suggest to use a higher break draft at the

breaker passage and a slightly reduced break draft on the finisher draw frame.- At the breaker Lenzing uses a break draft of ~ 1,7 and of ~ 1,4 on the finisher draw

frame.

6 (to 8) doublings are normally used to draw 100 % Microfibers or blends ofMicrofibers at the drawframes.- It could be necessary to reduce the number of doublings to better control the high

number of fibers of the slivers when processing Microfibers.

Slivers out of 100 % Lenzing Modal® or Lenzing MicroModal® are more bulkythan Cotton. To avoid congestions of the coiler a coiler with a diameter of ~ 29mm might be required.- Depending of the sliver weight e.g. 5 g/m.

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Processing of Microfibers – Roving

Production of the roving is another importantstep in yarn production.

Like on the drawframes we use low breakdrafts e.g. 1,18 for the roving production.

An optimum roving twist is essential to get bestconditions for the drafting unit at the ringframe.- If the roving twist is too high the fiber / fiber friction

could become too high creating serious draftingproblems at the ringframe.

The roving twist is linked to the fiber fineness.- Roving twists up to Alpha e 1,2 are common for100 % Cotton.

- For rovings of Microfibers we suggest Alpha e 0,7.

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Processing of Microfibers – Ring

Ringspinning is the most flexible spinningtechnology.

The yarn / fabric hand can be simplymodified by a variation of the yarn twistfrom a very soft touch to fabrics with hightwist or crepe characterisic.

Ringspinning offer the chance to producefancy yarns like- slub or multicount yarns,- core spun yarns, …

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Processing of Microfibers – Spinning Lenzing MicroModal® as well as TENCEL®

MICRO are ideal fibers to produce yarnsfor the medium and fine count segment.

- Annually about 13 m / tons of medium & about5 m / tons of fine count yarns are producedglobally.

For this market segments ringspinning isby far the most common spinningtechnology.

- about 200 mio spindles are needed to producethis 18 m / tons of yarns.

Ringspinning or modified ringspinningmachines - Compact / Siro Compact - areinstalled in increasing numbers.

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Processing of Microfibers – Spinning Lenzing uses all spinning technologies

including the latest generations of Vortexor Air Jet spinning in our fiber processingunit (FPU).

New systems are studied very carefullybecause Microfibers offer interestingpossibilities to widen the applications of

such spinning systems.

Finer yarn counts could be spun.- Yarns of Ne 90/1 with TENCEL® MICRO Std

have been reached with this technology

Microfibers are of help to improve the handof Vortex or Air Jet spun fabrics towardsthe hand of ringspun yarns.

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Processing of Microfibers – Ring Main draft distance: 43 – 44 mm

Break draft distance: 70 – 75 mm

Break draft: We prefer to run breakdrafts inthe area between 1,15 – 1,2

Main drafts: between 30 and 50- For extreme fine counts main drafts up to 80

can be found in the mills

Front rollers: Soft to medium cots withshore hardness between 65 and 75 arevery common.

Spindle speeds: Depending from the yarncount and the philosophy of the spinner.- More than 20.000 rpm have been reached

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Processing of Microfibers – Ring

Compact or Siro Compact spinningare becoming more and moreimportant.

Coarse yarns for Denims as well asultra fine yarns counts are spun onsuch systems.

Compact or Siro Compact yarns offerthe chance to improve yarn qualityand fabric properties- the yarn regularity,- the hairiness of the yarns & the

fabrics,- the fabric appearance,- the pilling performance,

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Weaving - Typical Products Bottom weight fabrics, Casual wear,

Denims, Ladies dress fabrics, sheetings,casual or city shirt fabrics are typicalenduses.

For these fabrics yarns of 100 % TENCEL®

or TENCEL®MICRO or a wide variety ofblends are processed.

The strength of TENCEL® or TENCEL®

MICRO yarns makes them very interestingfor woven applications.

TENCEL ® yarns can be woven with highefficiency with loom settings similar to

cotton fabrics.

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Weaving - Product characteristics

TENCEL® fabrics are known for theirspecific fabric hand.

To meet the demand of the consumers thehand and appearance of TENCEL® wovens

can be influenced significantly by- blends and variations of the blend ratio- the yarn twist- the fabric construction (type of weave)- the fabric density- variations of the finishing process

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Summary 1 Fibers like Lenzing MicroModal®, Lenzing MicroModal® AIR, TENCEL®,

TENCEL®MICRO or TENCEL® MICRO LF are well established in the market.- Lenzing had to increase it´s production capacity of Microfibers constantly over the years

To meet the demand from the market, TENCEL® MICRO A100 has beendeveloped and launched.

Lenzing Modal® and TENCEL® microfibers offer the potential to match the need- for fabrics of higher quality- for lighter weight fabrics- for fabrics with superior appearance and touch …

Blends of Lenzing Modal® or TENCEL® Microfibers with Cotton or syntheticfibers offer the possibility to create fabrics of high quality combined with anexcellent wear comfort.

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Summary 2

Lenzing Modal® and/ or TENCEL® Microfibers can be spun in "normal" cottonspinning plants.

Normally only small modifications of the spinning process might be necessary tospin Lenzing MicroModal® or TENCEL®MICRO fibers into high quality yarns.- Modifications of existing machine settings- Modifications of common or standard spinning plans……

Lenzing would like to cooperate with your teams to establish customisedmachine settings for the processing of Microfibers to reduce time and costneeded to implement and launch the production of such yarns/ fabrics in yourplant.

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Thank you very much

for your attention!