Lyocell is a plant-based fiber used in making varieties of articles of clothing. Somehow, since its discovery, this interesting fabric has found its way into several fabric stores around the world: both luxury and street high brands. And people have continued to link the wide acceptance of the fabric to its buttery-soft textile.
Even though this fabric on its own can be used to make amazing garments, it is commonly used as a blend for other fabric types like cotton or polyesters. And despite that there are lots of known facts about the fabric, people are becoming more curious about the fabric on the daily and would often ask, what is lyocell fabric? What are they made of? Some of these questions will be treated in this article.
What are Lyocell fabrics?
Lyocell, also known as Tencel, is a grade of Rayon fabric made from cellulose extracted from wood pulp. The origin of the fabric dates far back to 1972, when it was developed by an American company Enka. But little was known about the fabric until the late 20th century, when it became popular throughout the world.
Lyocell fabric pros and cons
Pros of Lyocell fabric
- Lyocell is made from wood, and therefore it is considered a sustainable, compostable, and biodegradable fabric.
- Lyocell makes a perfect blend for other fabrics like acrylic, peace silk, polyester, ethical wool, and cotton.
- Lyocell fabric is generally strong, breathable, gentle to the skin, and is known for its soft, silky texture.
- Lyocell is very efficient at absorbing moisture and is a stretchy material making them an ideal fabric to make palazzo pants or leggings.
- Compared to other fabrics like Rayon and viscose, which are considered toxic because of the chemical in their composition, Lyocell is non-toxic as the chemical used during production doesn’t get emitted to the environment.
Cons of Lyocell fabric
- A lot of energy is required to produce Lyocell fabric.
- The compostability of Lyocell is only limited to the fabric alone, i.e., if combined with other synthetic fabrics, the other fabric will not be compostable.
- Lyocell can only be washed with cold water and must not be dried in a dryer because it is one delicate fabric.
Is Lyocell natural or synthetic?
Lyocell is a semi-synthetic fabric.
How is Lyocell made?
Lyocell is formed when the wood pulp is dissolved in an amine oxide solution. Then viscous cellulose, which is the resulting solution, will be released into a diluted solution of amine oxide which will then precipitate the cellulose into the fiber.
What is Lyocell fabric made of?
Lyocell fabric is made of cellulose fiber.
What is Lyocell fabric used for?
Lyocell is an eco-friendly fabric, and therefore it can be suitably used for all sorts of things. It can be used to make trousers, bed linen, towels, t-shirts, denim, and underwear.
What is Lyocell fabric like?
Lyocell retains the properties of Rayon fabrics and has different textures. But its texture or feel is often described as “soft to the touch.”
What kind of fabric is Lyocell?
Lyocell is a semi-synthetic fabric
What is the material Lyocell?
The material contained in Lyocell is cellulose fiber which is a result of dissolving wood pulp before it is reconstituted by dry jet-wet spinning.
What is Tencel Lyocell fabric?
While Lyocell is a sustainable fiber gotten from the wood pulp through an advanced spinning process, Tencel is merely a type of Lyocell fabric. Other types of Lyocell fabric include viscose Rayon and modal Rayon.
What is Lyocell fabric similar to?
In terms of texture, Lyocell is similar to organic cotton and silk fabric. This is why it is one of the popular choices for making bedding and clothing because they are soft to the skin.
What is Bamboo Lyocell fabric?
They are semi-synthetic Rayon fiber produced from Bamboo pulp. Even though this fabric is made from a natural plant — bamboo, it is not considered a natural fabric; rather, they are referred to as semi-synthetic.
Is Lyocell fabric breathable?
Yes, Lyocell is a breathable fabric. Lyocell is a breathable fabric and very efficient at absorbing moisture, which is the reason why it is among one of the most suitable fabric materials for making sportswear.
Is Lyocell better than cotton?
Yes, Lyocell is better than cotton. In terms of the most desirable qualities in fabrics, Lyocell rates higher than cotton.
Lyocell is more durable, has a higher resistance to pilling, is smoother and softer, dries faster, is better at wicking away moisture, is eco-friendly, and is more resistant to wrinkle. In terms of their price, you can also tell which is better because Lyocell is more expensive.
Where is Lyocell produced?
Initially, Lyocell was produced in the Enka factory in the United states. After some time, Enka stopped production, and it was moved to the united kingdom, where it was rebranded as Tencel.
Is Lyocell fabric vegan?
Lyocell is a vegan fabric. Lyocell is a semi-synthetic fabric, meaning the fabric is composed of both natural and synthetic fibers. This means no parts of the animal were used in the composition of this fabric. Hence they are vegan.
Does Lyocell fabric wrinkle?
Yes, Lyocell fabric wrinkles. Ordinarily, Lyocell fabric is resistant to wrinkles, but that does not mean wrinkles do not appear on them. The resistance of this fabric to wrinkle comes with a benefit, though the wrinkles can be easily ironed or steamed off the fabric.
Can Lyocell fabric be dyed?
Yes, Lyocell fabric can be dyed. The material used in making Lyocell is one of the most accepting dye applications. Plus, this fabric can absorb new colors easily. You can dye Lyocell fabric with the general dyeing procedures and classes commonly used for cellulosic fibers, just that Lyocell may require specialized dyeing conditions.
Is Lyocell fabric good for winter?
Yes, Lyocell is a good fabric choice for winter. Although it may not be related to cotton in any way, Lyocell has excellent thermal regulation properties, meaning no matter the weather you wear, you will be comfortable.
Does Lyocell fabric need ironing?
Yes, Lyocell fabric needs to be ironed. Although Lyocell fabrics are resistant to wrinkles, that does not mean they do not get creased up sometimes. When you find your Lyocell in this condition, ironing over them to eliminate the creases is an excellent way to treat them. Details will be provided below on how you can iron this fabric.
How to iron Lyocell fabric
To iron your Lyocell fabric, just put the iron in a steam setting and hover the fabric with the iron. Or you can also press the fabric with a warm setting.
How to wash Lyocell fabric
- Pour enough cool water into the wash basin or sink and mix with mild detergent.
- Soak the fabric in the cleaning solution and leave it there for about 30 minutes.
- Thoroughly rinse with cold water to get rid of the lather.
- Do not wring the fabric, just press out the water.
How to care for Lyocell fabric
There is no other best way to care for the Lyocell fabric than always avoiding harsh and bleach detergents. In fact, it is better to rinse the stain with water before starting to use a mild detergent.
You can spot-clean the fabric with a damp clean cloth but never should you attempt to rub or scrub the fabric: it will get damaged.
How to sew Lyocell fabric
- Lyocell can be as slippery as silk, so it would be better to cut the fabric with a sharp rotary cutter or shears and use as many pins as possible.
- Change your sewing machine needle to a microtex or topstitch needle before you start sewing.
