Materials: What is Tencel lyocell?

Tencel is a type of rayon, like viscose and modal. How is it made? Before drying, the wood chips are mixed with a solvent to produce a wet mixture. This mixture is then pushed through small holes to form threads, chemically treated, then the lengths of fibre are spun into yarn and woven into cloth. Sounds simple enough—but what kind of environmental footprint does this process have?

Tencel lyocell is better for the environment than other similar fabrics, but not as sustainable as top-tier fabrics like organic linen or recycled cotton. In production, Tencel requires less energy and water than conventional cotton. Tencel is also biodegradable.