12+ TENCEL Clothing Brands to Love
With the rise of sustainable fashion we’ve seen quite brands use semi-synthetic fabrics be used to create eco-friendly clothing.
A few popular fabrics you might have heard of include TENCEL Modal and Lyocell. Let’s explore the sustainability of these fibers and how they are made.
What is TENCEL?
TENCEL is essentially the brand name of a company that produces semi-synthetic fabric. The brand is owned and created by the Austrian company Lenzing AG.
In the same way that that Chapstick is a brand name for a particular type of lip balm, TENCEL is the brand name for a particular type of fabric – lyocell.
What is Lyocell?
Lyocell comes from a family of fabrics known as viscose or rayon and is semi-synthetic. This means that it is partly a man-made fabric, but the thread has natural origins.
To put it succinctly, it’s made from regenerated cellulose fiber, which comes from wood and is then spun into yarn. The fabric produced is incredibly soft and breathable. It can even be mixed with other fibers to make clothes lighter and softer on the skin.
Generic Lyocell vs. TENCEL Certified Lyocell
While lyocell is the name of the fabric produced, to be allowed to use the TENCEL brand, a garment must have at least 30% TENCEL fibers. TENCEL fibers are only produced by the Lenzing company.
TENCEL lyocell is produced using eucalyptus wood, which one of the reasons why it is so special compared to generic lyocell, which generally uses other wood. The eucalyptus is grown in sustainable forests, and as it grows so quickly, can easily keep up with demand.
Used to a hot climate, it also needs very little water to grow, so doesn’t have the same environmental impact as other natural fibers like cotton.
Other brands of lyocell may use other wood and may not have the same closed-loop system with its focus on sustainability that TENCEL certified lyocell does.
What is Modal?
To make things more confusing, there is another form of viscose that Lenzing produces – Modal. This is also a brand name.
It is produced in much the same way to TENCEL, however it uses beech wood, and there are a few extra steps in the process. The end result is a fabric that is flexible and soft whereas TENCEL, is a strong and heavier material.
How are these fabrics made?
With TENCEL, the eucalyptus is chopped into chips and mixed with amine oxide solution. This is non-toxic and breaks the wood down until it has a paste-like texture.
Then, it is formed into threads by pressing it though a machine under high pressure. These threads are then processed to create yarn that is eventually used to make fabric.
With Modal, different chemicals are used to break the beech wood down, and the fibers are also stretched to make them softer, lighter, and finer.
Is TENCEL a Sustainable Clothing Choice?
The short answer is, yes. Using cellulose from sustainably grown forests, this fabric is created in a way that is kind to nature. The fibers are even dyed before they become yarn in order to save water.
Even though there are chemicals used in production, they are mostly non-toxic. They also never enter the environment due to the closed-loop system used to create both TENCEL and Modal.
This means that an extraordinary amount (up to 99%) of the chemicals used are recycled and re-enter the production system.
12 TENCEL Clothing Brands to Shop
We’re always on the lookout for sustainable clothing brands. If you’re curious about TENCEL and what to try it for yourself, consider checking out these brands.
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Encircled: TENCEL & Modal Garments for Versatile Style
Encircled’s modern basics are responsibly made in Canada using sustainable materials. This ethical clothing brand focuses on versatile multi-way clothing encouraging consumers to invest in high quality pieces that can be worn for years to come.
To encourage transparency and reduce their carbon footprint, Encircled works with local studios in Toronto who cut, sew, knit and dye fabric.
These studios are all near their main office which is a great way for the brand to be able to inspect the garment quality down to ‘the final stitch’ but also a great way to ensure that all of their workers are happy.
With ranges of both Modal garments and TENCEL, there really is an option for everyone here.
Allbirds: Sustainable Shoes & Beyond
Allbirds is a certified B Corp that is known for their sneakers, but this brand has recently expanded into eco-conscious clothing too. A selection of different products by this brand have TENCEL in them including tees, socks, and underwear.
Paneros: Modern Sustainable Style
Paneros creates high quality, slow fashion styles in small quantity runs that are designed and crafted to last for years to come.
This ethical brand uses dead stock fabrics and eco-friendly fibers to create their unique clothing and features beautiful, bold patterns in timeless designs. With the launch of their new collection ethical shoppers can find select tops made with TENCEL.
ColioCo. TENCEL Underwear & Bras
ColieCo produces ethically made, sustainable lingerie, underwear and swimwear in an in-house studio in Sagres, Portugal.
This ethical brand carefully-selects natural, recycled and reclaimed fabrics; manufactures to order and uses intelligent garment design and cutting processes to minimize textile waste.
Their TENCEL intimate collection features bold designs made with cozy TENCEL fabric.
Amour Vert: TENCEL Clothing Made in the USA
Amour Vert shows customers just how versatile TENCEL clothing can be. This company has manufactured the entirely of their Dream Collection from it, and the results speak for themselves.
Plus, for every tee bought from their store, they plant a tree to offset carbon emissions.
TENCEL is also found in their Femme Fête collection and of course, items are shipped in compostable bags!
Amour Vert also crafts 97% of their clothing in the USA which keeps the carbon footprint of shipping garments down.
Whimsy + Row’s sustainable tencel clothing
Whimsy + Row is a slow fashion brand focusing on limited runs and locally made garments. Whimsy + Row clothing is made with low impact fabrics like Certified Organic Cotton, Linen, TENCEL™, Cupro, Silk and Deadstock/Upcycled Fabric.
This ethical fashion brand visits their factories weekly to ensure fair wages are given and the workers are being treated fairly.
Discover unique TENCEL dresses, tops, and more. Use the discount code HONEST10 for 10% off your purchase.
tentree’s Earth-First Essentials Made with TENCEL
tentree makes Earth-First essentials using sustainable materials such as TENCEL, recycled polyester, organic cotton, and hemp. Every time you purchase an item, tentree plants 10 trees.
tentree is proud to be a certified B-Corporation and ethically crafts their clothing around the world.
tentree’s clothing made with TENCEL includes jumpsuits, joggers, hats, skirts, t-shirts, and more. I particularly love their shorts made with TENCEL.
Toad & Co.’s Sustainable Style
Toad & Co. is a company committed to only using sustainable fabrics in their products. Not only do they have a wide range of TENCEL clothing for both men and women, they also have a Lenzing Modal collection as well.
Another great thing about this company is their commitment to giving back – their charity work in local communities and beyond shows they really do care about our planet.
LA Relaxed: Made in the USA
Ethically made in the USA, LA Relaxed make everything inhouse, which very few companies can say! Using both TENCEL and Modal, they take care to ensure that all of their garments are made from sustainable fabrics.
As the name suggests, they produce clothing that they believe you can be relaxed in – whatever the occasion.
Is Tencel Stretchy
In terms of stretch, this fabric falls somewhere in between natural fibers like cotton and synthetic fibers like spandex. Tencel has more "give" than cotton, but not as much as spandex.
That makes it a good choice for close-fitting garments like leggings that you want to have some stretch to them, but not so much that they're uncomfortable or look like they're painted on.
Tencel also has a more silky feel than cotton and is more absorbent, making it a good choice for activewear or summertime clothing. Overall, Tencel is a versatile fabric that can be used for various garments.
When comparing Tencel to other fabrics, it is essential to consider the garment's intended use.
For example, if you are looking for a fabric that will stretch and move with you, then Tencel is a good choice. However, cotton or linen would be a better choice if you are looking for a more structured fabric.
TENCEL is a great sustainable fabric to explore. We hope this guide helped you discover some eco-friendly fashion brands to love and better understand the fabric.
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