Norwegian company Nånkåtån, a producer of sustainable textiles without cotton, will present its Monocel  concept, as well as its non-cotton stretch denim fabric at the Intertextile in Shanghai, that is being held from 21-24 October.

Made from Lyocell bamboo, Monocel cotton-free fabrics are said to be soft, strong and responsibly produced. “As far as we know, our Monocel denim is the first non-cotton stretch denim to be launched on the market,” said Jonny Kristiansen, CEO at the Nånkåtån.

Strong and elastic

Monocel stretch denim is nine-dips indigo dyed and is displayed in several different washes at Intertextile, including different ozone treatments providing a more matte, ‘work wear’ look. The Monocel denim can also be delivered in laser treated versions.

The new non-cotton stretch denim has already received international attention and a prototype was selected for the 2013 ISPO Textrends Forum in February.

Due to the production technique, the company is said to have achieved four directional stretch, meaning great elasticity properties in  jeans made from the fabric.

One yarn, many applications

All fabrics in the Monocel concept are based on the same yarn, Monocel, made from Lyocell bamboo fibre, which is an eco alternative to cotton products, the company reports.

In addition to stretch denim, the Monocel concept includes knitted fabrics and woven shirt fabrics.

According to Nånkåtån, the fibre production is in a closed loop system, leaving no hazardous waste and significantly reducing water consumption.  The bamboo itself is organically grown.

“Monocel is made from a fibre stronger than cotton both in wet and dry condition,” Jonny Kristiansen explains. “This strength, combined with an extreme softness, makes for a wide range of applications and provides for comfortable, long-lasting quality products.”

Soft knits, exclusive wovens

The Monocel Softwear collection of knitted fabrics ranges from thin, delicate fabrics for luxurious garments to thick knits for rougher products. The collection comes in a variety of structures - jersey, single jersey, French terry, rib, Rome, piquet, interlock and birdseye.

At Intertextile, woven Monocel shirt fabrics are being presented in a variety of colour combinations and structures. The company also offers customised production, allowing its customers to choose particular patterns and colours.

www.monocel.com