TENCEL™ Lyocell

TENCEL™ Lyocell is a man-made cellulosic fabric made from wood pulp. This (natural) fiber is technically the same as viscose but made more responsibly.  We have used it for a couple of years and today around 10% of our fiber production in volume is TENCEL™ Lyocell. 
 
How is TENCEL™ Lyocell produced?  
TENCEL™ Lyocell is produced in a closed-loop system, which means that 99% of the solvent as well as water is reused. It is obtained from trees that are grown on farms, eliminating the risk of deforestation. 99% of the wood comes from FSC and PEFC certified and sustainably managed forests. FSC and PEFC are non-profit, independent organizations working towards a long-term sustainable and viable use of the world’s forests. More than 50% of the wood is from Austrian and other European forests. Additionally, the Austrian production sites are powered by renewable energy and aim for carbon neutrality.   
 
Why is TENCEL™ Lyocell good?  
Seen from an environmental perspective, TENCEL™ Lyocell has many benefits. Apart from its circular manufacturing process and that the Austrian factories produces its own renewable energy, there are also few residual chemicals.  
 
What is Tencel and what is Lyocell?  
TENCEL™ is actually a brand and a trademark of Lenzing AG, while lyocell is the material itself.  The TENCEL™ Lyocell we use is from Lenzing and they shared a letter of origin with us for the woods they use to make the TENCEL™ fiber. Most of the wood comes from Europe (Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Scandinavia, Baltic countries, Poland), in our case the wood pulp is made in Austria, but it can also come from South Africa or the USA. The types of wood used can be Eucalyptus, Acacia, Acer, Birch, Aspen, Beech, and Spruce. They are always from certified forests (FSC or PEFC). 
  
The process from cellulose pulp to fabric 
To extract the fiber from the wood, a biodegradable chemical is used, resulting in a viscous cellulose pulp. To convert into long fibers, the mass must be pressed through a large nozzle. Then, the fibers are dried, washed, spun into threads, and lastly woven into a textile material.  
  
So, with this in mind, TENCEL™ Lyocell is a given choice for us to use in our clothes. And aside from all these benefits, it also has a luxe, silky feel to it, which makes it great for breezy shirts and dresses.