Textile Fiber Directory

Lyocell is produced from cellulose, the main material in plant cells, and constitutes a new fiber for clothing, hygiene, medical and technical applications. The production process for Lyocell is extremely environmentally friendly – the fiber has all the advantages of a natural material and is 100% bio-degradable.

Lyocell was developed by Courtaulds Fibers (now Acordis Cellulosic Fibers), an international supplier of rayon. It entered the consumer market in 1991. The properties and production processes were unique enough for the Federal Trade Commission to designate it as a separate fiber group. The trade name for lyocell produced by Acordis is Tencel®. Lenzing Fibers, another major manufacturer of rayon, has also entered the lyocell market. This product is marketed as Lenzing lyocell. An improved fiber, in terms of performance and properties, lyocell is also friendly to the environment. Virtually all of the chemicals used in the production process are reclaimed. The resulting fiber, lyocell, is both biodegradable and recyclable. Lyocell is a manufactured fiber, but it is not synthetic. It is made from wood pulp harvested from tree farms for this purpose. Because it is made from a plant material, it is cellulosic and possesses many properties of other cellulose fibers, such as cotton, linen, ramie, and rayon - another manufactured but non-synthetic fiber.