h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How about a follow up article on Tencel (TM) or lyocell (generic name)? Feels like silk, washes and wears like denim, and is newer. It is similar to viscose in that it's a manufactured fibre of natural origin.

It's similarly manufactured from wood pulp dissolved in a solvent (can't remember the name of it, and anyway the name's just a shorthand anyway for the rather involved formula) then extruded and washed. Advantages are that the process is a lot more environmentally benign (partly because the solvent is so damn expensive you can't afford to emit any to the environment) and since the wood pulp used to make it is recycled it pleases the tree-huggers. The downside is the surface energy of the fibres is quite low so dying it requires some rather expensive dyes, which tends to make the clothing quite expensive but worth it, I think. Definitely worth looking out for next time you're in a clothing store (Marks and Spencers have some stuff, for those people in the UK who buy their underwear there, i.e. about 100% of the population, give or take )

Just a thought...

H.

Hi HVL

I have been wondering how you are, and missing your clear thinking in the forums recently.

I'd always thought of Tencel as a brandname for viscose - I hadn't realised it was a similar but different product.

I am viscosed out - I wrote the piece because I am a fan of the fabric, but I had to research it to get the info, it wasn't something I already knew.

If you would like to write any kind of companion piece for the entry, please do.

Take care

Ben

I'm fine. Thanks for asking. I've been missing my clear thinking just lately too

I think the Tencel/viscose confusion is very common. It's probably a failure of marketing, and one which probably led to the demise of Courtaulds Fibres and their takeover by Akzo Nobel a few years back (Tencel was invented by Courtaulds). For the record, as I've said above, Tencel is a brand name for "lyocell" fibre, the first new artificial fibre process for thirty years (i.e. I think since viscose).

Try finding some Tencel in M&S or somewhere - buy a shirt or a pair of jeans made of the stuff, and you might find yourself a fan of that fabric, too! (are there fan clubs for fabrics? is there a badge? is it made of the fabric?... etc.)

As for a companion piece, hmmm. Yes, I might just do that. It's sufficiently different from anything else I've written, and I'm aiming to get as wide and weird a variety of Edited Entries into the Guide as possible. Wouldn't take much research - I've a fair knowledge of the Tencel process, for tedious reasons. Thanks for the inspiration!

H.

Go for it.

I have seen Tencel things in Markies, I will pay more attention to them in the future. In fact my best PJs are viscose ones from Markies...

B

There is a good explanation of the Tencel process at

[URL Removed by Moderator]

Another useful resource on most types of man-made and synthetic fibres is

[URL Removed by Moderator]

Tencel is a regenerated cellulose fibre, similar to viscose (Rayon was the Courtaulds brand name, I think) but produced through a more environmentally friendly process.

The wood pulp is dissolved in a solvent called amine oxide, a shortened name for N-methyl morpholine oxide (I think). The process is highly unstable involving very high temperatures and pressures to force the cellulose to dissolve, which can cause an exothermic reaction to occur.

The original process was devised by Akzo Nobel and then licenced to Courtaulds during the 1970's. Akzo Nobel weren't in a position to develop it further and Courtaulds then developed a stable and controlled process to produce the first lyocell fibre in the late 1980's (Tencel is a brand name).

Some key features of the fibre are:

high wet tenacity or strength - lyocell is stronger than cotton when wet
low extension or stretch - viscose and cotton both expand and contract when wetted and dried

Tencel was the first new man-made or synthetic fibre for about 30 years (as noted by Hoovooloo) but not since viscose. The viscose process is about 100 years old. The previous new fibre was something like polyester or elastane (Lycra).

Tencel is a good substitute for either polyester or cotton and makes an excellent denim. Its one major flaw is a tendency to fibrillate during processing and subsequent wearing. This is the same as can be observed with cotton when pilling occurs.

Subsequent work by Courtaulds lead to the development of Tencel A100. This is a non-fibrillating version of Tencel. Dye yields for Tencel A100 are excellent in comparison to other fibres including standard Tencel, cotton, viscose and most other fibres, producing brighter and more vibrant colours through using less dye. Colour fastness is also good.

Unfortunately the development of Tencel was the straw that broke the back of Courtaulds. Large debts from high levels of investment coupled with the collapse of the far eastern markets during the 1990's left Courtaulds vulnerable to take over.

Akzo Nobel made a successful takeover bid and took control of the Courtaulds group.

Now the former fibres businesses of Courtaulds have been combined with the fibres businesses of Akzo Nobel and launched as a seperate business called Acordis in the control of a venture capital group.

The story doesn't end there though. In parallel with Courtaulds an Austrian company, Lenzing, have developed their own process for producing lyocell.

The future of the fibre looks set to be interesting. In theory lyocell could come to replace much of viscose and polyester production and can even substitute for cotton. The process is environmentally friendly (at least as far as it is possible to be), whereas polyester is made from oil and viscose involves regenerating the fibre in an acid bath (sorry Ben but it's not water). The process is also more compact and reliable than cotton production, which is prey to weather conditions and also uses large areas of expensive land.

If you haven't already guessed I have a bit of a vested interest in the success of Tencel.

TTFN

Hi Madent. How does this sound: I take what you've written above, knock it into a GuideML entry, and post it to Peer Review with you as co-author?

Also, is Mobile still offline? Is SL3 running? Just curious... no vested interest any more.

H.

Sounds fine to me, Hoovooloo.

Mobile is part open and has been since Jan 2000; SL3 is running okay.

TTFN

Hi,
I am working on new products that our company could make with viscose as the main product. Could someone with sufficienbt knowledge of the product gibve me a few clues...right now im working on bathmats, table linen and shopping bags...any suggestions????

Hi

A but of a blast from the past this thread - (why were you missing your clear thinking, then, HVL? )

Thanks for posting 211894 - alas, I know nothing. As I said, I love the fabric but am definitely a lay person. Hoovooloo may be able to help, but Madent is your best bet.

My suggestion - since Madent may not be subscribed to this one still - is to click on Madent's name and post your question in his (her?) User Space - there is a button called 'Leave a Message' or something similar.

The other option is to go to <./>AskH2G2</.> and start a new conversation there, you never know what people here know.

Good luck

Ben

Hi Ben,
Thanks a lot for ure help. Really apreciate it. Have posted messeges to both of them..am hoping for a reply...thanks again