Modal and Lyocell - how trees become soft clothing

You will find more and more clothing in our shop, which consists partly of Modal or Lyocell. Lyocell can often be found under the brand name Tencel™. Both fibers are produced by Lenzing. But what kind of fibers are these? And what are their advantages compared to other materials? Appearently the first question is: Are Modal and Lyocell natural or artificial fibers? To get the answer, let's have look at how these materials are manufactured.

The basis of both substances is cellulose (plant fibres), which is mostly obtained from wood. But you don't have to worry that forests will be erased for your shirt. The wood is exclusively from sustainable production. Because wood is a renewable raw material, Modal and Lyocell are also called regenerated fibres. Knowing this, you could think that these are natural fibres. However, the cellulose has to be extracted from the tree trunk during production in some way. In a multi-stage process, the shredded wood is chemically converted into a mass from which the yarn for your clothes is made. At Lenzing, the solvent is collected at the end of the process and can be reused. Due to this process, Modal and Lyocell (Tencel™) are officially classified as chemical fibers.

A good one for summer

Modal and Lyocell don't warm up as much as wool (for example), but they offer a bunch of pleasant properties that you'll definitely appreciate in summer:

• Wearing comfort - The fabrics have a very smooth surface, are particularly soft and feel airy on the skin. This allows a high wearing comfort.
• Humidity management - Modal and Lyocell are true masters of moisture management. While classic cotton, for example, only releases very inert moisture back into the air, these sustainable fibres score with their enormous water absorption capacity and rapid moisture release. Lyocell can absorb about 50% more water than cotton. So whether you sweat from sports or warm weather, these materials are breathable and get rid of water in no time at all.
• Odours - Due to the quick transfer of moisture, bacteria have a hard time to get into action. So Modal and Lyocell offer you an odour-inhibiting effect.
• Knitter - Do you want your favourite shirt to be up and running quickly? No problem! You can step outside without ironing after washing. These natural fibres are crease-resistant!
• Form - Both materials are considered to be very dimensionally stable and robust.

Where is the difference?

Since both Modal and Lyocell (Tencel™) are obtained from the raw material wood, using a similar chemical process, their properties are comparable. Modal fabrics are brilliant in color and particularly soft. The manufacturing process of Lyocell fibres differs slightly from that of Modal fibres and contains an even more environmentally friendly solvent. This gives it a slightly different fibre structure, makes it particularly robust (slightly stronger) and scores with excellent moisture management.

You see, with clothing from Modal and Lyocell you get will go far. Nature offers us a sustainable and biodegradable possibility for textile production with wood as our raw material. Thanks to sustainable forestry and a closed production cycle, Modal and Lyocell are an ecological alternative to synthetic fibres.