Lyocell fiber is a benchmark product of 21st-century regenerated cellulose fibers. Based on natural plant materials, it has become a core raw material for the textile industry's upgrade due to its environmentally friendly production process and the dual advantages of "the comfort of natural fibers + the durability of synthetic fibers."

The "TENCEL™" that consumers often refer to is Lenzing's brand name, encompassing three materials: lyocell fiber, modal fiber, and lyocell filament.

Therefore, the industry saying that TENCEL is always lyocell, and lyocell is not necessarily TENCEL, is inaccurate.

I. Historical Origins: From Laboratory Breakthrough to Global Popularity

The birth of lyocell fiber was a major innovation in the textile materials field, characterized by "environmentally friendly technology + performance upgrade":

- Technological Development (1980s): In 1980, Akzo of the Netherlands was the first to obtain patents for the production process and products of lyocell fiber, overcoming the pain points of traditional viscose fiber such as high pollution and low wet strength, and pioneering a new path of physical dissolution spinning.

- Industrialized Mass Production (1990s): In 1992, Courtaulds of the UK achieved the first industrialized production; in 1997, Lenzing of Austria followed suit with mass production, registering the trade name "TENCEL®" as the representative of high-end lyocell fiber globally, promoting its popularization in the European and American markets.

- Core Technology: Using N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) as a solvent, natural cellulose pulp is dissolved and then spun. The solvent recovery rate is as high as 99.7%, with almost no chemical pollution. It has won the EU's "European Environmental Award" certification and is hailed as "the most valuable product in the history of man-made fibers in the past half century".

II. Domestic Lyocell Development: From Technology Import to Global Production Capacity Leadership

China's lyocell industry has undergone three stages: technological breakthrough, capacity expansion, and innovation upgrading. It has now become a core global production and application market:

- Technology Import and Localization Exploration (2005-2015): In 2005, China launched a lyocell fiber localization project. Many companies imported production lines and technologies from Europe and the United States, gradually breaking through key processes such as solvent recovery and spinning, solving the "bottleneck" problem, and achieving self-sufficiency in basic lyocell fibers.

- Capacity Explosion and the Rise of Leading Companies (2016-2020): Companies such as Sateri, China Textile Green Fiber, and Tangshan Sanyou accelerated capacity expansion, forming large-scale production capabilities. Among them, Sateri (Changzhou) established a globally leading production line, laying the foundation for subsequent capacity expansion.

- Global Leadership and Innovation Upgrading (2021-Present): By 2025, China's total lyocell production capacity is expected to exceed 1 million tons, firmly ranking among the world's top tier. The project "Complete Equipment and Process for Single-Line, Single-Reaction Production of 50,000 Tons of Lyocell Fiber per Year," led by Sateri, won the first prize for scientific and technological progress from the China National Textile and Apparel Council, achieving the world's largest single-line production capacity. Enterprises are frequently achieving innovative results: China Textile Green Fiber has developed flame-retardant and bamboo pulp lyocell; Tangshan Sanyou has launched hemp pulp and high-purity lyocell; and Hongtaiding is developing ginger and graphene functional lyocell. Low-temperature dyeing and intelligent temperature control technologies are also being rapidly implemented.

- Market Application Popularity: 74% of domestic spinning enterprises have tried using lyocell fiber, and 30% of enterprises have increased its raw material proportion to 20%-30%, extending from high-end apparel to mass consumer goods, home textiles, industrial fabrics, and other fields, forming a complete industrial chain ecosystem.

III. Materials and Processes: The Dual Advantages of Natural Base + Technological Empowerment

1. Core Material Properties

- Raw Material Source: Made from FSC-certified fast-growing eucalyptus, spruce, bamboo, and cotton linters, cellulose is extracted to produce pulp. The raw materials are renewable and sustainable, and the production process saves 95% more water than cotton.

- Fiber Structure: Circular cross-section, smooth, burr-free surface, fiber fineness 1.0-3.0 denier, length 38-60 mm, combining the skin-friendly properties of natural fibers with the regularity of synthetic fibers.

- Classification Characteristics: Ordinary type (e.g., Tencel G100) is prone to fibrillation under mechanical action in a wet state, suitable for processing into a peach-skin velvet style; cross-linked type (e.g., Tencel A100) inhibits fibrillation through cross-linking, suitable for making smooth-textured fabrics.

2. Production Process

- Pulp Preparation: Plant raw materials are crushed, cooked, and bleached to extract high-purity cellulose pulp.

- Dissolve Spinning: The pulp is dissolved in NMMO solvent to form a uniform spinning solution, which is extruded through spinnerets and formed in a coagulation bath. The entire process involves no harmful chemical reactions.

- Finishing: After washing, drying, crimping, and cutting, functional treatments such as anti-fiberizing, softening, and flame retardant treatments are applied according to requirements. The product can be spun purely or blended with cotton, linen, silk, wool, etc., to optimize performance.

IV. Core Performance Advantages and Disadvantages

1. Core Advantage: A Perfect Balance Between Green and Practicality

- Extremely Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable: Raw materials are renewable; 99.7% of the solvent in the production process is recovered; there are no harmful gas emissions; the product is 100% biodegradable, friendly to the environment and human health, and in line with the trend of green consumption.

- Superior Comfort: 1.5 times more absorbent than cotton, it quickly absorbs and evaporates sweat, keeping skin dry; highly breathable, it stays cool and comfortable in summer, while providing some warmth in autumn and winter; static-free and hypoallergenic, suitable for sensitive skin and infants.

- Excellent Strength and Durability: With a wet-dry strength ratio of 85%, its wet strength far surpasses traditional viscose fibers and is close to polyester. It is not easily deformed after washing, has a low shrinkage rate (≤1%), and is highly durable; it has good elastic recovery and excellent anti-pilling properties.

- High Texture and Aesthetics: Smooth to the touch like silk, with drape comparable to modal, it possesses a natural soft sheen and the luxurious feel of wool; excellent dyeing and printing adhesion, resistant to fading, and rich color expression.

- Natural Antibacterial and Odor-Resistant: Its strong moisture absorption prevents bacterial growth on the fiber surface, effectively reducing sweat odor, making it especially suitable for underwear and bedding.

2. Main Disadvantages: Limitations of High-End Material Use

- Prone to fibrillation and snagging: Pure lyocell fibers are prone to pilling (fibrillation) when rubbed, which may cause dark-colored clothing to appear faded and worn. The fiber's insufficient toughness makes it easy to snag and create holes; this problem is more pronounced with higher fiber content.

- Higher care requirements: Hand wash in cold water or machine wash on a gentle cycle; avoid vigorous rubbing. Do not use alkaline detergents, and do not wring dry, expose to direct sunlight, or tumble dry, as this may cause slight shrinkage and a deterioration in texture.

- Higher price: Complex production process and large equipment investment result in prices that are 30%-50% higher than ordinary cotton or viscose fibers. High-end functional products have even higher costs, which limits widespread consumer adoption to some extent.

- Market irregularities require careful discernment: Some low-priced products are mixed with viscose fibers to impersonate lyocell. Look for the "TENCEL™" brand logo or authoritative testing reports to ensure purity.