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Tencel is the registered trade name for Lenzing Group's proprietary Lyocell fabric, which is made from wood pulp cellulose. The wood pulp is sourced from hardwoods, primarily Austrian beech, from sustainable plantations. Tencel is biodegradable, soft, lightweight, and breathable. Tencel is also stronger, both wet and dry, than rayon and cotton.

The process to convert wood pulp cellulose into fibers involves the use of toxic solvents like N-Methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMNO), but modern processes utilize a "closed-loop" system in which 99% of the solvents are continuously recycled. The pulp is bleached with oxygen, ozone and hydrogen peroxide, so the process is chlorine-free. Dyes do not bind well to Lyocell and harsh chemicals may be used to fix the dyes to the fabric.

Still, the Lenzing Group has received numerous certificates and awards, including the ÖKO-TEX Standard 100 Certificate and the Pan-European Forest Certification (PEFC) Chain of Custody Certificate.

For more information, see The Lenzing Group website and the Organic Clothing Blog "Tencel: Sustainable But Not Necessarily Healthy".

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