Orange Fabric

Orange fabric is a regenerated cellulose (man-made cellulosic) fibre whose feedstock is 'pastazzo' — the wet pulp and peel left over after industrial citrus juicing. The pastazzo is dewatered and the alpha-cellulose fraction is isolated, purified, and dissolved in a non-toxic amine-oxide solvent (NMMO) to produce a viscous spinning dope. The dope is extruded through micron-scale spinnerets into a coagulation bath where the cellulose precipitates as a continuous filament. Chemically, the finished fibre is pure cellulose II — the same molecular family as cotton, linen, lyocell, and modal — but with a smoother surface morphology and a finer denier, which is why the cloth drapes like silk while remaining 100% plant-derived.

Every roll we use is certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (Annex 6, Product Class I or II depending on end-use), which tests the finished textile for over 350 regulated and unregulated substances including azo dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals, pesticide residues, and chlorinated phenols. The base fibre is produced under the patented Orange Fiber S.r.l. process, with closed-loop solvent recovery independently audited at >99.5% recapture. Where supplementary wood pulp is blended in, it is FSC- or PEFC-certified. We can share batch-level test reports and the mill's transaction certificate on request.

Per kilogram of finished fibre, orange fabric uses roughly 1–3% of the blue water consumed by conventional cotton (≈150 L vs. ≈10,000 L), requires zero arable land, and has a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint roughly half that of generic viscose thanks to the closed-loop solvent. Mechanically, tenacity sits at ~3.5–4.2 cN/dtex (comparable to lyocell, slightly above standard viscose), with moisture regain of ~11–13% — meaning it absorbs and releases perspiration faster than cotton (8.5%) and far faster than polyester (0.4%). The result on the body is a cooler microclimate and quicker dry time.

Cellulose II fibres relax in their first wash; expect <2% residual shrinkage on a cold gentle cycle and effectively none thereafter. Colour-fastness to washing rates 4–5 on the ISO 105-C06 scale and to light 4 on ISO 105-B02 — meaning negligible fade under normal wear. Pilling resistance is rated 4 on the Martindale ICI box test, which is one grade above standard viscose. Avoid hot tumble drying: heat above 60 °C accelerates hydrolysis of the cellulose chain and is the single largest cause of premature wear in any plant-based fabric.

Yes. The OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification confirms the finished cloth is free of skin-sensitising azo dyes, formaldehyde, nickel, and chlorinated carriers. The fibre's smooth, lenticular cross-section reduces mechanical friction on the skin compared to the irregular cross-section of cotton, and its high moisture regain keeps the skin–fabric interface drier — both factors clinically associated with lower irritation in atopic and eczema-prone wearers. We do not use optical brighteners or formaldehyde-based easy-care finishes on any orange-fabric piece.

Pastazzo is sourced from juice processors in Sicily and southern India. Cellulose extraction and fibre spinning take place at a licensed mill operating under the Orange Fiber process. Yarn is woven in two partner mills in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, both Sedex SMETA 4-Pillar audited. Cutting, sewing, and finishing happen in our own atelier in Bengaluru, where every maker is paid a verified living wage as defined by the Anker methodology. Each garment ships with a QR-linked passport listing the harvest season, mill, weaver, and tailor.

Independent abrasion testing (Martindale, ISO 12947-2) places our orange-fabric shirting at 25,000–30,000 cycles before surface breakdown, which corresponds to roughly 3–5 years of weekly wear and weekly wash. Tear strength (Elmendorf, ISO 13937-1) measures 1.4–1.8 N in the warp and 1.2–1.5 N in the weft — well within commercial shirting standards. The fibre's primary failure mode is wet abrasion, which is why we recommend a mesh wash bag for any piece worn more than once a week.

Pure orange fabric is fully biodegradable: under ISO 14855 industrial composting conditions it reaches >90% mineralisation within 90 days, leaving no microplastic residue. In a marine environment (ASTM D6691) it disintegrates in roughly 12–14 weeks. For blended pieces, the care label specifies the dominant fibre and the appropriate recycling stream. Through our take-back programme, returned garments are mechanically shredded, re-pulped, and re-spun in partnership with Renewcell-style chemical-recycling pilots — closing the loop in practice, not just in marketing copy.

Three structural reasons. First, the fibre yield from pastazzo is roughly 250 kg of cellulose per tonne of wet peel, so the feedstock-to-fabric ratio is materially lower than cotton's bale-to-yarn yield. Second, closed-loop solvent recovery, OEKO-TEX testing, audited mills, and traceability passports each carry real per-metre cost. Third, the global volume of certified orange fibre is still measured in hundreds of tonnes, not millions — economies of scale are early. Choosing it today is what funds the next mill, the next harvest, and the next price reduction.