By Sander Tamm
Last updated: Jan 24, 2025
Pictured: 100% TENCEL Lyocell jeans (Baukjen)
What is TENCEL Lyocell?
TENCEL Lyocell, or simply TENCEL, is a branded semi-synthetic fabric exclusively produced by Lenzing AG. It is made primarily from eucalyptus, pine, and spruce cellulose. Lenzing AG is a manufacturer of man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCFs) like lyocell, modal, and viscose. Like other MMCFs, TENCEL Lyocell combines natural plant materials, mostly wood, with synthetic processing, making it a semi-synthetic fiber. TENCEL Lyocell holds the EU Ecolabel and is only manufactured by Lenzing, unlike regular lyocell.
As of 2023, TENCEL Lyocell had a global production volume of 360 thousand tonnes. Only a few other fibers, such as cotton and polyester, match TENCEL Lyocell’s versatility, and it is used in various applications, including sportswear, home textiles, luxury wear, mattresses, and even hygienic products.
What is TENCEL Lyocell made of?
TENCEL Lyocell is made from wood sourced from eucalyptus, pine, spruce, beech, birch, ash, and maple trees. These woods are obtained from FSC or PEFC-certified forests, adhering to strict criteria for forest preservation and biodiversity protection. Lenzing’s wood and pulp policy ensures the exclusion of wood from controversial sources, including ancient or endangered forests, illegal logging, and endangered species habitats.
Lenzing sources approximately 2.5 million tons of wood annually, combining its owned-and-operated production with dissolving pulp purchased from third parties. Its operations include LD Cellulose, a pulp mill co-owned by Lenzing in Minas Gerais, Brazil. LD Cellulose produces 500 thousand tonnes of dissolving wood pulp annually, making it the largest pulp mill in the world.
Where is TENCEL Lyocell produced?
TENCEL Lyocell is produced in four countries:
- Austria: Nearly half, or 164 thousand tonnes, of TENCEL Lyocell’s global production volume, comes from Heiligenkreuz and Lenzing, the company’s namesake. Austria accounts for 45.5% of global production.
- Thailand: In 2022, Lenzing opened a new, state-of-the-art facility in Prachinburi, Thailand, exclusively for TENCEL Lyocell production. It is the world’s largest lyocell fiber plant and is carbon-neutral, powered by biomass under Lenzing’s bioenergy policy. Thailand produces 100 thousand tonnes yearly, or 27.8% of global production.
- USA: In Mobile, Alabama, Lenzing operates a TENCEL Lyocell plant with an annual production capacity of 51 thousand tonnes, accounting for 14.2% of global production.
- United Kingdom: One of Lenzing’s oldest TENCEL Lyocell plants is located in Grimsby, England. The United Kingdom produces 45 thousand tonnes of fiber annually, accounting for 12.5% of global production.
What other lyocell fibers does Lenzing produce?
In addition to TENCEL Lyocell, also known as LENZING Lyocell Standard, or just TENCEL, you may come across other branded lyocell fibers produced by Lenzing, such as
- LENZING Lyocell Dry: Hydrophobic fibers designed for hygiene products, providing liquid-repellent properties while maintaining softness.
- VEOCEL: Fibers for biodegradable and compostable hygiene applications like wipes and diapers, designed to be healthy for the skin and compostable.
- TENCEL REFIBRA: Lyocell fibers with at least 30% recycled cotton or post-consumer content.
- TENCEL Luxe: Filaments for luxury and couture fabrics, avoiding conventional yarn spinning with a nonwoven fabric approach.
What are the properties of TENCEL Lyocell fabric?
Fabrics made from TENCEL Lyocell share the same texture and feel as conventional lyocell, offering exceptional softness, moisture absorption, and cooling benefits. TENCEL Lyocell is also highly breathable, promoting airflow and effectively wicking moisture to keep the skin dry. It resists wrinkles and shrinking, but prefers hand washing at low temperatures rather than machine washing.
Is TENCEL Lyocell sustainable?
TENCEL Lyocell is one of the most sustainable materials available. Like all lyocell fibers, it benefits from a nearly closed-loop chemical process that recovers over 99.8% of the non-toxic solvent NMMO, resulting in minimal chemical waste. Leaving chemistry aside, TENCEL Lyocell is an improvement over generic lyocell in all impact categories measured by the Higg MSI, including global warming, eutrophication, water scarcity, and resource use. It scores a “B” from the Made-By Benchmark, which evaluates fibers for key environmental impacts.
Lenzing, the producer of TENCEL Lyocell, has an ambitious and SBTi-verified net-zero target and in 2024, it updated its emissions reduction targets. By 2030, it plans to reduce emissions from its production sites by 42% and lower emissions from its supply chain by 25%, compared to a 2021 baseline. It implements biodiversity monitoring and conservation measures at its production sites while advancing circular solutions like its REFIBRA-branded lyocell. Plus, it uses renewable bioenergy at scale, invests in carbon-neutral technologies to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, and sources wood exclusively from FSC and PEFC-certified forests.
For these reasons, we consider TENCEL Lyocell a preferred material and among the most sustainable fabrics available today.