What to Look For When Buying Lyocell Fabric?

Hey dear reader! I hope it’s a fine day for you. Have you heard about the new range of Lyocell fiber in the fashion industry? Some call it the most lightweight and silkiest fabric. 

Best for activewear or any lightweight luxury clothing made with a surprising material – wood! Yes, you heard it right, folks!

Lyocell fiber is also known as Tencel Lyocell fabric.

Lyocell fiber or Tencel Lyocell is a fabric made of rayon made from pulp derived from wood cellulose. Tencel Lyocell fiber is used to make fabric for clothing and other purposes. 

All in all, Lyocell fiber has much rage to go around, and rightfully so. The fabric is soft, durable, sustainable, and recyclable – no wonder, it’s also called excel. 

How does Tencel Lyocell feel to touch?

Although Tencel Lyocell can take many forms, the fabric is generally breathable, soft, absorbent, lightweight, and wrinkle-resistant. Lyocell fabric is fifty percent more absorbent than cotton and is commonly used in activewear. 

Also known as Newcell, the fabric is known to be especially lightweight and best to make lightweight luxury clothing as the fabric is the silkiest material, also known as “artificial silk” while not involving the use of any worms in the process.

How is Tencel Lyocell sustainable?

Lyocell fiber is commonly a natural fabric because of its origin from a plant. Lyocell fiber is produced from eucalyptus trees, which are easy to grow. They do not need a lot of irrigation and they grow quickly.

It is processed much like other fabrics but doesn’t involve the use of toxic carbon disulfide. Carbon disulfide is toxic for both the workers and the environment. It makes the fabric sustainable to produce over other fabrics. 

When we compare Lyocell with cotton, it can use as much as half of the water quantity that it takes to produce cotton.

Why is Lyocell material used?

Tencel Lyocell was first developed in 1972 by American Enka. The fabric has been in use to make clothing ever since. So much so that the term “Lyocell” is a trademark for the process of making cellulose fabric with the Lyocell technique. 

There are many companies that are only dedicated to making Lyocell clothing. Lyocell material is generally used to make dress shirts, denim, belts, medical dressing, towels, and jeans. Although a little delicate, the material can last for years when it is taken care of.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Lyocell material

Advantages:

• Lyocell is a breathable and strong fabric that is soft and silky to touch.
• Lyocell is stretchy and absorbs moisture easily.
• Lyocell can be blended with other fibers to make clothing.
• Lyocell is a sustainable fabric and doesn’t lead to pollution from toxic chemicals.
• Lyocell is best for sensitive skin and is hypoallergenic.

Disadvantages:

• Lyocell, when mixed with other fabrics, is not compostable.
• Lyocell is a delicate fabric and needs extra care.
• It takes a lot of energy to produce Lyocell material.
• Lyocell fabric is susceptible to shrinking with the first washes like many other fabrics.

How can you take care of Lyocell material?

Lyocell has a gentle heart and needs extra care while washing. Being a delicate fabric, clothes made with it or its blend need your special attention while you do your laundry. 

• Lyocell clothing should be washed with cold water and a gentle detergent.
• The ideal way to wash is hand wash or you can wash your Tencel Lyocell at the gentle cycle in your washing machine.
• The clothes should be air-dried, not machine-dried.
• You should not twist the garment as it can cause it to get wrinkles.
• If you have to iron Lyocell clothing, do so in a very low-temperature setting.

What about the pricing of Lyocell material?

Lyocell is now widely popular and available in markets but is more expensive than materials like cotton. The eco-friendly fiber has a much more costly process of production than some of the other materials. But it also has some added advantages over cotton, traditional rayon, and modal. If we think deeply about the cost, Lyocell is more durable and is time-efficient in the matters of washing and ironing, which leads to lyocell effective pricing to be the same as others.

Final verdict on Lyocell material

Lyocell is a good material to be used for clothing with the potential of replacing cotton, rayon, modal, and polyester. Because of its benefits of being versatile, flexible, anti-bacterial, soft, and durable, Lyocell is used to make various types of clothing. From athleisure to a sustainable pair of jeans, the material is famous in the world of sustainable fashion.