In our 2021 summer collection, for the first time, you´ll find four shirts made of Lyocell. Maybe you've never heard of Lyocell or Tencel® - no big deal! That´s why we wrote this blog. You can learn everything about this natural fibre, its advantages and how it is produced, right here.
The silk-like natural fibre Lyocell is obtained from the wood, or more precisely the cellulose, of the eucalyptus tree. The name Tencel® is the brand name of the Austrian distribution company Lenzing AG, which produces and distributes the fibre.
Basically, most of us probably think of eucalyptus more as something you´d use for a relaxing bath. But the wood of the eucalyptus tree forms the raw material for the Lyocell fibre. For this purpose, the wood is cut into chips, these chips are soaked in water and mixed with a solvent to dissolve the cellulose out of this pulp.
After heating, where the water is recovered, a spinning solution is produced, which is pressed through nozzles to create a fibre. These fibres are woven like a cotton fibre to form a fabric.
Products made of Lyocell naturally have a fibril structures (like fine hairs), which enable excellent moisture transport. This means that moisture is quickly wicked away from the skin when you sweat. So the fabric never feels wet, which cools well in summer but still keeps you warm in winter. Thanks to this low-moisture environment, bacteria struggle to grow on this natural fibre, which means the fabric does not smell even after repeated wear.
Not only is Lyocell the ideal fabric for outdoor products thanks to its odour-inhibiting properties, it can also easily keep up with comparable materials in terms of robustness, tear resistance and durability (like merino wool, as an example). At the same time, the fabric remains silky soft, smooth and comfortable to wear on the skin. Ideal for your next outdoor adventure, but also a good alternative for leisure wear.
Eucalyptus is a plant that can grow basically anywhere, even in places where otherwise little grows or nothing can be cultivated. This means that the area under cultivation does not compete with food production. Furthermore, eucalyptus grows extremely quickly and can reach a height of 30 meters in just 10 years. In addition, the manufacturer (Lenzing AG) guarantees that the raw material is only obtained from sustainable forestry or from natural fibre recycling.
Lyocell is an industrially but ecologically produced material. Thanks to the recovery of water, only one-twentieth of the water required by cotton is needed. Furthermore, the production is very environmentally friendly because the organic solvent used is non-toxic and biodegradable. Therefore, even residues that remain on the fabric do no harm to the skin and can be broken down in the sewage treatment plant after washing. Therefore, products made of Lyocell are also ideally suited for allergy sufferers.
The EU also recognised the advantage of this process, which is why it received the "European Award for the Environment" (category: Technology Award) as early as 2000.
After so many benefits in terms of comfort and sustainability, you're probably surprised why you've never heard of this superfibre?!
As you might expect, it's often a question of money. For large clothing manufacturers, the fabric is simply too expensive to be used on a large scale. Nevertheless, the first major brands like Patagonia and Ten Tree are using this product. Furthermore, the largest manufacturer (Lenzing AG) produces according to ecological standards, which certainly doesn't make the whole thing any cheaper.
Basically, you can follow our washing label, which has all the important information on it. If necessary, the functional underwear could be washed at up to 60°C. However, we recommend a lower washing temperature (30° or 40°C). Thanks to the natural odour-inhibiting effect of the fabric and due to the increased energy requirement of a 60°C wash, this low temperature makes double sense!
We tried out various products made of Lyocell from different manufacturers. We immediately noticed that the products are comfortable to wear and have a cooling effect.
During outdoor activities, the fabric absorbs sweat well, but still dries extremely quickly. Even after long periods of wear, whether outdoors hiking or other activities, we were convinced of the odour-inhibiting properties, and we did sweat quite a bit.
