Tencel
Trademark — one of 16 in the glossary
Lenzing's brand name for lyocell, a cellulose fibre made from wood pulp in a closed-loop solvent process that recovers most of its chemicals. It feels smooth and cool with better drape than cotton, resists wrinkling and is stronger wet than ordinary rayon. In blanks it appears blended into fashion tees and woven shirts to add fluidity and sheen. It is heat-sensitive and takes dye differently from cotton, so garments containing it want lower press temperatures and a test print before a run.
A producer, not just a fibre
Tencel is Lenzing's brand for its lyocell and modal fibres. Naming it identifies who made the fibre, not only what it is.
That matters because lyocell is produced by several manufacturers to varying standards, and the closed-loop solvent recovery the fibre is praised for is a property of the process rather than of the fibre type.
A sheet saying Tencel lyocell is making a more specific claim than one saying lyocell.
What you get
Smooth, cool hand with better drape than cotton, good moisture management, and resistance to wrinkling.
Strength that survives laundering, unlike conventional viscose.
And a traceable supply chain, which is the part that matters if sustainability claims are going on the finished garment — an unverifiable claim is a liability rather than a feature.
Common questions
- What is Tencel?
- Lenzing's brand name for its lyocell and modal fibres, made from wood pulp in a closed-loop solvent process. It identifies the producer as well as the fibre type.
- Is Tencel better than cotton?
- Different. It drapes better, feels cooler and manages moisture better; cotton takes more ink chemistries and costs less. Neither is better in the abstract.
- Why does the brand name matter?
- Because lyocell is made by several producers to varying standards. Tencel names who made it, which is what a sustainability claim on a finished garment needs to be defensible.
See also
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