I work in clothing retail and we were already getting stock for summer way (wayyyy) back in late February and March, when it was still pouring and 5 degrees. The new clothes that we received contained a fibre called “tencel”. And me being a keener, I went online and searched what it was exactly so I could impress the customers about my product knowledge (heh).

“Tencel” is a fibre made from the cellulose in wood pulp, which is harvested from tree-farmed trees. It’s produced by an advanced “closed-loop” solvent spinning process that apparently has minimal impact on the environment and economical use of energy and water. Simply put, the process involves dissolving wood pulp with a non-toxic solvent and once the process is complete, the solution is evaporated and the rest is reused for the next cycle. This fibre is natural, but man-made – pretty much an oxymoron, if you ask me.

There has been debate on whether this fibre is good or bad. On the plus side, it’s entirely eco-friendly and biodegradable as it comes from trees. This material drapes over the body to create a comfortable, lightweight, wrinkle-resistant and shrink-resistant. This probably sounds like the most genius thing ever made for the laziest of people (including me!). Tencel has become quite mainstream and retailers including Patagonia and H&M have been incorporating this fibre into their merchandise because of its benefits.

However, there is always a BUT.

Tencel has difficulty binding with dyes, therefore manufacturers might use different chemical processes, enzyme baths, and dye treatments that may not be environmentally friendly. Moreover, the fibre itself tends to pill. The process used to control the pilling can be toxic. If not prepared properly, consumers who develop a love for tencel material may end up buying more and more to replace the garments that have pilled. As a result, there is essentially no sustainability to this type of fibre.

So, to answer the question: is it natural? Yes. But is it sustainable? Yes and no. What are your thoughts on “green” fibres?

References:

Azoff, A. (January 9 2012). Tencel Fabric is Pulpy & Luxurious. Heart Sleeves. Retrieved from http://www.heartsleevesblog.com/tencel-fabric-is-pulpy-luxurious/

Donatellli, J. (April 2, 2013). Is Tencel (aka Lyocell) A Sustainable Fabric? The Textile Test Series Investigates. Eco-Chick. Retrieved from http://eco-chick.com/2013/04/27946/tencel-lyocell-sustainable-fabric-textile-test/

Earth Easy. (n.d.). Tencel Clothing. Earth Easy. Retrieved April 8, 2015 from http://eartheasy.com/wear_tencel.htm

Lackman, M. (November 4, 2005) Tencel ::Sustainable but not necessarily healthy. Organic Clothing Blog. Retrieved from http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_weblog/2005/11/tencel_sustaina.html

Robinson, A. (June 13, 2010). Tencel and Bamboo: Natural Fibers or Not? Ann Robinson Textiles. Retrieved from http://www.annrobinsontextiles.com/tencel-and-bamboo-natural-fibers-or-not