You know I like to offer fabrics in the shop that I would like to sew myself: it’s time to offer you tencel... You might ask, what is tencel? This fabric is little known, so I invite you to discover this marvel together!

What is tencel?

Tencel™ fiber is a plant-based fiber, obtained from the cellulose of eucalyptus trees, bamboo, and/or deciduous trees. It is therefore an artificial synthetic fiber produced using the natural proteins of plants.

The cellulose, in other words the pulp of these trees, is crushed then dissolved using a natural, non-toxic, and biodegradable solvent. The production of tencel is therefore, like linen fabric production, environmentally friendly.

Note that tencel resembles viscose due to its fluid and silky nature; it is also known as vegetable silk.

A little bit of history

I told you about the two Austrians who created viscose at the end of the 19th century in my article on viscose, and well, it’s the same people or at least the same company (called Lenzing) that created tencel!

Historically, this Austrian company specialized in the manufacture of pulp and paper. During various experiments, this company managed to create cellulose fiber that could be spun and thus form a fabric; viscose was born.

In the 1960s, the company, concerned with improving their ecological performance, decided to improve their industrial process to limit the use of chemicals and enhance their recycling. After several years of research, Lenzing developed a new ecological fiber: tencel.

Its manufacturing process is both sustainable and zero waste. The company even received a European Award from the European Union for their achievement. They are now the leading suppliers of Tencel fabric in the clothing and upholstery sectors.

How is it produced?

For tencel production, there are 3 ingredients:

• wood
• water
• a natural solvent

which are used in a closed loop because everything is recycled, purified, and reused throughout the process. The solvent used is recovered at 99.77%; which is a magnificent ecological performance!

What are the positive and negative points of tencel?

Besides its ecological qualities, tencel has many other qualities that will be useful for sewing but especially for its use in clothing.

Positive points

Tencel is:

• durable,
• breathable,
• absorbent,
• hypoallergenic,
• regulates perspiration,
• odor-resistant (thanks to its absorption, bacteria don’t have time to grow and release odors as polyester would),
• smooth and silky thanks to its smooth, uniform, and elastic textile fibers that make it resistant to pilling and tearing,
• the lifespan of a Tencel™ fabric is longer than synthetic materials and other chemical fibers,
• fully biodegradable. It decomposes in only 6 weeks in an aerated compost.

Negative point

• its price, which will be a bit higher than viscose. However, considering its positive points, the price difference is not significant.

How to sew it?

Tencel has an appearance similar to silk with beautiful fluidity and a heavy drape. The sewing tips for tencel are quite close to those for sewing viscose.

For cutting, pin your fabric well with fine pins and use sharp scissors or a rotary cutter.

For sewing, pin your work with fine needles in the seam allowances and choose a microtex machine needle or a small size (60/70) preferably.

Don’t forget to wash your fabric once before cutting because tencel is a natural fiber; some shrinkage may occur (this is completely normal).

Finally, for ironing (opening seams, etc.), use a low to moderate temperature.

What to sew with tencel?

Because of its beautiful fluidity, tencel is perfect for roughly the same sewing projects as viscose. So you easily think of blouses, dresses, and skirts, but there is one use I find very flattering: sewing fluid pants and jumpsuits (plus, it’s trendy this year). I find this last use one of the best for tencel because it allows making magnificent pants like those found in luxury stores at a lower price.

I especially see palazzo pants in this very beautiful fabric, with a side zipper—you’re ready to go to work or out to a restaurant. It’s immediately very classy, I think.

How to care for a garment sewn in tencel?

Once your garment is sewn, you will need to think about caring for it, and again, tencel has many qualities in this regard!

Indeed, tencel washes perfectly at 30°C and dries very quickly. Therefore, do not use a tumble dryer. Moreover, tencel is almost wrinkle-free. If you dry it properly (on a hanger, for example), you won’t even need to iron it.

Once dry, the tencel garment should be stored in a cool, airy place. The best is to leave it on a hanger in a "healthy" wardrobe (no humidity).

There you go, I hope this article has brought you new knowledge and who knows, maybe it helped you discover this beautiful material!

You will find in the shop our first tencel fabrics of very beautiful quality. They are produced by the Danish brand Meetmilk and I’m still going to have a hard time not reserving a coupon for myself...

Tell me in the comments what you think of this article and/or tencel; it will help me better respond to your wishes/needs.