Introduction
When it comes to fashion, people often think it is polluted and not environmentally friendly. However, innovations like Eastman’s Naia™ fiber are changing that perception. Naia™ is a sustainable, cellulose-based fiber made from responsibly sourced wood pulp, offering an eco-friendly alternative without compromising on quality.
How is this revolutionary fiber going to make a difference? Follow our lead to find out!
What is Naia fabric?
Naia™ fabric is a sustainable and high-performance cellulose-based fiber developed by Eastman, designed to provide a luxurious feel and eco-friendly solution for the textile industry. Made from sustainably sourced wood pulp from managed pine and eucalyptus forests, Naia™ fabric composition primarily includes cellulose acetate, offering an alternative to traditional fibers. This innovative material stands out for its environmental benefits as well as its unique characteristics, making it a popular choice for brands focused on sustainability.
One of the core advantages of Eastman Naia™ fabric is its production process, which uses a closed-loop system with low environmental impact. The fiber is manufactured using a dry spinning technique that requires no water, minimizing resource usage. Naia acetate fabric is also produced with a low carbon footprint, contributing to a more sustainable manufacturing cycle. Naia fiber properties include inherent softness, breathability, dimensional stability, and resistance to pilling and stains. These attributes make it suitable for a variety of applications, from high-end fashion to home textiles.
Naia™ fabric is often used in comfortable, skin-friendly clothing such as Naia fabric pants, dresses, and blouses. Its hypoallergenic properties, combined with a soft, cool-to-touch feel, make it ideal for creating Naia clothing designed for comfort and style.
Additionally, Naia yarn blends easily with other fibers, allowing it to be integrated into various fabric types to enhance texture and performance. The versatility of Naia™ allows it to be used in knits, woven fabrics, and even activewear, meeting the demands of consumers looking for sustainable yet luxurious clothing options.
How is Naia fabric made?
This unique Naia fiber is not only eco-friendly but also sustainable in production practices. Naia™ is manufactured through a closed-loop system that reuses solvents and minimizes waste, making it an ideal solution for brands focused on reducing their carbon footprint and meeting sustainability goals.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the manufacturing process:
Step 1: Raw material sourcing
It begins with sustainably sourced wood pulp, derived from responsibly managed pine and eucalyptus forests. Eastman carefully selects these sources to ensure Naia™ fabric composition is rooted in renewable resources, aligning with sustainable forestry practices. The use of these renewable materials minimizes environmental impact and supports sustainable forestry.
Step 2: Pulp processing
Once sourced, the wood is broken down into a pulp, forming the base material for Naia™ acetate fabric. The pulp is then combined with acetic acid to create cellulose acetate granules, the primary ingredient in Eastman Naia™ fabric. This combination results in a plant-based material that serves as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers.
Step 3: Dissolving and creating a dope solution
The cellulose acetate granules are then dissolved in acetone, forming a thick, viscous solution known as a “dope solution.” This solution is essential for creating Naia™ yarn, as it prepares the material for spinning without needing extensive chemical processing.
Step 4: Dry spinning process
The dope solution is then extruded through a spinneret to form fine, continuous fibers. This unique dry spinning process requires no water, unlike traditional wet spinning methods, making it significantly more resource-efficient. The fibers are air-dried in this stage, further reducing the environmental footprint of Naia™ fabric production.
Step 5: Closed-loop production and solvent recovery
Naia™fabric is produced within a closed-loop system, which recycles and reuses solvents, reducing emissions and minimizing waste. This process allows Eastman to keep the carbon and water footprint low, enhancing the sustainability profile of Naia fiber properties.
Step 6: Final production and applications
The resulting Naia yarn exhibits inherent softness, breathability, and resistance to pilling, making it suitable for a variety of products, from Naia fabric pants and dresses to luxurious home textiles. The fiber’s hypoallergenic and cool-to-touch properties make it ideal for NAIA clothing, providing comfort and performance for eco-conscious consumers.
Main benefits of Naia fabric
In addition to its versatile applications in fashion and home textiles, Naia™ fabric offers a wide range of benefits from both environmental and performance perspectives.
Sustainable composition: Naia™ fabric is made from responsibly sourced wood pulp, primarily from managed pine and eucalyptus forests. This renewable cellulose acetate fiber offers an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fabrics, making it a sustainable choice for environmentally-conscious consumers and brands.
Closed-Loop production: The production of Eastman Naia fabric utilizes a closed-loop system, which recycles solvents and minimizes waste.
Softness and comfort: Naia™ fabric is known for its luxurious softness, cool-to-the-touch feel, and hypoallergenic properties, making it ideal for skin-friendly Naia clothing such as Naia fabric pants, dresses, and blouses.
Breathability and Moisture Control: Naia™ fiber is breathable and provides excellent moisture-wicking properties, keeping wearers cool and comfortable. It also dries quickly, reducing the risk of fabric clinging to the skin, which makes it a good choice for warm-weather clothing.
Durability: Naia™ fabric is designed to resist pilling and maintain dimensional stability, which helps it retain its appearance and feel over time.
Versatile applications: Naia™ yarn can be blended with other fibers to enhance texture, performance, and comfort. It is suitable for a wide range of products, from high-end fashion to home textiles like bed linens and towels.
Limitations of Naia fabric
While Naia™ offers numerous advantages, it also has some limitations like other fibers do.
Limited Stretch: While Naia™ fabric is soft and durable, it has limited stretch, which may affect the fit and comfort of certain types of garments, particularly those that require flexibility and elasticity, such as activewear. However, this can be enhanced by customizing and blending with other fibers (contact Align Textile for more detail)
Higher Cost: The sustainable production process of Naia™ fabric can lead to higher manufacturing costs compared to traditional, non-sustainable materials. This may make Naia acetate fabric more expensive, impacting accessibility for some brands and consumers.
Potential Sensitivity to Heat: Naia™ fabric is cellulose-based and may be sensitive to high heat during washing or drying, which could limit its care instructions compared to more heat-resistant synthetic fabrics.
How many types of Naia fabrics are there?
Eastman offers two primary types of sustainable Naia™ fabrics: Naia™ and Naia™ Renew.
Naia™ fabric
The original Naia™ fabric is made from sustainably sourced wood pulp from managed pine and eucalyptus forests. Naia™ fiber is perfect for various applications in apparel and home textiles. Naia yarn also blends easily with other fibers, enhancing fabric performance and creating luxurious, high-quality garments.
Naia™ Renew
Naia™ Renew, on the other hand, takes sustainability to the next level by incorporating 40% certified recycled content. This version combines 60% renewable wood pulp with 40% GRS-certified recycled waste materials, which include hard-to-recycle plastics diverted from landfills.
Using Eastman’s Carbon Renewal Technology (CRT), Naia™ Renew breaks down waste into molecular components to create acetic acid, which is then combined with wood pulp. This innovative process reduces the carbon footprint of Naia acetate fabric production by approximately 35%, offering brands a low-impact, circular textile solution.
Naia Fabric vs. Traditional Fabrics: Which is Better for You?
When choosing fabrics, especially for sustainable fashion and home textiles, understanding the benefits and differences is essential. Naia™ fabric, as a sustainable fiber, has enormous advantages. But how does it compare to traditional fabrics and other sustainable options like Coolmax, Drirelease, and Repreve?
Here’s a look at how Naia™ measures up in terms of sustainability, performance, and comfort.
Comparison of Naia™ vs. Traditional Fabrics:
Sustainability: Naia™ is crafted from sustainably sourced wood pulp in a closed-loop process, which minimizes environmental impact by recycling solvents and reducing water and energy usage. In contrast, traditional fabrics like polyester are petroleum-based and have a high carbon footprint, while cotton, though natural, often requires large amounts of water and pesticides in conventional farming.
Comfort and Feel: Naia™ is known for its inherent softness, hypoallergenic properties, and cool-to-the-touch feel, making it suitable for skin-friendly clothing. Traditional fabrics like polyester lack breathability and can feel uncomfortable in hot weather, while wool can sometimes cause skin irritation.
Performance: Naia™ fiber offers excellent breathability, moisture-wicking, and quick-drying properties. It also resists pilling and retains dimensional stability. Traditional fabrics like cotton absorb moisture, which can feel heavy and take longer to dry, while polyester, though durable, may lack breathability.
Care and Durability: Naia™ is designed to withstand wear without pilling, offering longevity. Polyester is also durable, but cotton may wear down over time and shrink. Naia™ is relatively easy to care for but may require lower heat during washing and drying due to its cellulose-based nature.
Comparison of Naia™ vs, other sustainable fabrics
Here’s a quick comparison to help you understand how Naia™ stacks up against other popular sustainable options.
| Feature | Naia™ | Coolmax | Drirelease | Repreve |
| Composition | Sustainably sourced wood pulp | Polyester fiber | Polyester and cotton blend | Recycled plastic bottles |
| Sustainability | Closed-loop production, low-impact | Made with some recycled materials | Uses no chemical finishes | Made from 100% recycled materials |
| Moisture-
Wicking |
Excellent | High | High | Moderate |
| Breathability | High | High | High | Moderate |
| Softness and Comfort | Soft, cool-to-touch, hypoallergenic | Moderate | Soft | Similar to standard polyester |
| Drying Time | Quick-drying | Quick-drying | Quick-drying | Moderate |
| Applications | Fashion, home textiles, activewear | Activewear, sportswear | Activewear, everyday wear | Activewear, sustainable clothing |
| Durability | High, resistant to pilling | High | High | High |
| Environmental Impact | Low carbon and water footprint | Low to moderate | Low to moderate | High circularity, fully recycled |
| Care Instructions | Low heat, gentle wash recommended | Machine washable | Machine washable | Machine washable |
Can Naia fabric be made into any clothing? even denim?
Yes! Naia™ fabric is a versatile, sustainable fiber that lends itself to a wide array of clothing applications—from lightweight Naia fabric pants and flowing dresses to sturdy, stylish denim.
This eco-friendly fabric is made from sustainably sourced wood pulp, giving it a low environmental footprint and a soft, breathable quality that appeals to brands and consumers focused on comfort and sustainability.
Naia fabric composition includes inherent moisture-wicking and quick-drying properties, making it ideal not only for everyday wear but also for loungewear, athleisure, blouses, and even high-performance outerwear that requires durability.
Contact Align Textile and design your custom Naia fabric
Align Textile, a leader in sustainable textile manufacturing, is pushing the boundaries of what Naia™ fabric can do. With over 20 years of experience and a dedicated fabric R&D center in Taiwan, Align Textile specializes in creating high-quality, eco-friendly fabrics tailored to meet specific brand needs. The company offers more than 1,000 fabric selections and meets rigorous quality standards, ensuring that every product maintains top-tier quality and performance.
Through its innovative approach, Align Textile leverages Naia™ fabric in various customized blends to enhance its versatility. By combining Naia acetate fabric with other fibers, Align Textile creates unique materials that can be customized for applications ranging from comfortable T-shirts and leggings to resilient jackets and formal wear. This adaptability allows them to develop materials with the perfect balance of weight, durability, and softness, enabling brands to design clothing lines that resonate with eco-conscious consumers seeking style and function.
Below is an example of a customized Naic fabric designed to enhance its moisture management and stretchability properties:
25% Naia, 24% Recycled Polyester, 41% Polyester, 9% Spandex
Align Textile also collaborates with industry leaders in sustainable fabric technologies, like Creative Tech Textile, HEIQ, and Midori Bio, to continually improve and expand the capabilities of Naia yarn. This network of partnerships enhances the antibacterial, moisture-resistant, and durable qualities of Naia™, making it suitable for a variety of clothing styles, including outdoor and performance wear, which need both comfort and functionality.
With Align Textile’s expertise in customized fabric solutions, brands can explore Naia’s full potential, creating sustainable, high-quality garments across all fashion categories that appeal to eco-aware consumers. Get in touch with Align Textile today!
