Many people, hearing the name of the fabric for the first time, have a question: “Tensel - what kind of material is this?” Tencel is a new generation material, has unique properties, and is one of the most expensive materials of our time.
Tencel fabric, composition, what kind of fabric
The raw materials for the production of fabric are eucalyptus trees grown in Australia on special tree farms.
An English company was the first to use eucalyptus as a raw material in 1988. It was then that lyocell fiber was first created. It was a fundamentally new fiber obtained from cellulose fibers extracted from the eucalyptus tree. It was not synthetic and not natural. This is the latest artificial fiber obtained using nanotechnology. In terms of its qualities, it was no worse than natural materials.
What is Tencel - this is the same lyocell, its second name. This is explained by the fact that research on the development of a new material was carried out simultaneously in several countries. Lyocell is called differently in different countries.
In Russia, this is Orcel, developed in Mytishchi and has its own name.
Tencel material - produced in America.
Tencel - what kind of material is it, fabric production technology
Eucalyptus shavings and wood chips are softened with organic solvents. Then they are placed in a bowl with small holes to remove excess moisture. By pressing, the dissolved wood is passed through dies with acid. The resulting thin, long, transparent threads are then twisted and spun on a loom using the plain weave method.
The fabric production process is completely environmentally friendly. The waste does not harm the environment and easily decomposes in the ground. Products made from Tencel can be reused.
In addition, the production of lyocell fibers uses natural resources very economically. If we compare it with cotton, then to produce 1 cotton T-shirt you need to grow cotton on an area of 6 m2. The same area will yield 10 lyocell T-shirts.
Tencel - what kind of fabric is it, what percentage of lyocell fiber should it contain? The answer to this question is clearly regulated: Tencel fabric must contain at least 30% lyocell fibers. Only then does it have the right to be called “tensel”.
Tencel 100 material, containing 100% lyocell fibers, is very expensive. Rarely seen. To use fabric for mass production, synthetic fibers, cotton, bamboo, and silk are added to it.
When studying the question, what kind of fabric is Tencel, it should be noted that it is available in two textures:
- With a matte glossy, silky surface. This effect is achieved by adding silk threads.
- With a little lint.
Having answered the question “Tensel fabric, what is it?”, Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of this unusual fabric.
Tencel - what kind of fabric and what are its advantages
Tencel fabric has many advantages. It is not for nothing that it is considered a unique material. This artificial material has all the advantages of natural fabrics:
- has the strength of flax, but not so rough;
- softness of silk, but not as slippery as natural silk;
- comfortable to wear, like cotton, but not as wrinkled as cotton fabric;
- the warmth of wool, but not as prickly as wool.
So, tencel fabric and its advantages:
- Wear resistance and strength of the material. Even when wet it remains just as strong and reliable.
- Soft and gentle to tactile contact, does not irritate the skin.
- No accumulation of static electricity.
- Hypoallergenic.
- Eco-friendly.
- “Breathable” fabric, perfectly permeable to air and quickly removes moisture.
- It has antibacterial properties, like its ancestor - eucalyptus.
- It is color fast and does not fade.
- Not subject to the formation of pellets and puffs.
- Doesn't wrinkle.
- Has excellent thermoregulation.
But there are no advantages without disadvantages. Tencel material also has them:
- Manufacturers of luxury, expensive underwear, who use Tencel fabric for sewing, the composition of which is 100% natural, recommend using dry cleaning for their products.
- Possibility of fabric deformation if things made from Tencel are handled carelessly.
- High cost of natural fabric without additives.
In the article we looked at what tencel fabric is, its positive and negative qualities. Now let's try to understand the rules for caring for this matter.
Tencel - what kind of fabric is it, how to care for it
In order for Tencel products to last a long time, it is necessary to take into account the recommendations of the fabric manufacturer and the composition of the underwear. If it contains 100% Tencel, it can be cleaned with dry cleaning. If it is polytensel, it can be washed in a washing machine. Polytensel - what kind of fabric is it? This is Tencel with the addition of other threads.
Tencel material, what kind of fabric it is and what are the basic rules for caring for it, we will consider below:
- Turn the item inside out. Use liquid gels.
- If you wash in a machine, the temperature should not exceed 30°C. Disable spin.
- If you still want to iron, then do it at the minimum power of the iron, from the inside of the product.
Tencel fabric, what is it and where is it used?
Sometimes people are interested in “tencel - what kind of fabric?” This is the same tencel material. They just call it differently: some are “tencel”, some are tencel, what difference does it make? The essence is the same. We can say about tencel fabric that it is an excellent, beautiful and high-quality fabric that is used in various industries.
The main area of application is light industry. All kinds of women's and men's wardrobe items are sewn from tencel. It is also used for the production of children's clothing. Tencel bedding is luxury linen.
The name tencel is often confused with tesil - what kind of fabric is it? This is a type of polyester (rayon) and has nothing to do with Tencel.
In addition to the production of clothing, the strength properties of lyocell fiber are used in the manufacture of ropes, various cables and other things. The bactericidal properties of fibers are used in medicine for the manufacture of bandages and dressings. Due to its hygroscopicity, the material is suitable for bath accessories and towels.
It’s not for nothing that Tencel is considered a new generation material.Anyone who has ever purchased an item made from this fabric will want to buy it again.