The first cellulose fiber obtained using nanotechnology was called "lyocell". It got its commercial name as Tencel - Lenzing company, "orcel" - VNIIIPV (Russia).
The fabric was first made in 1988 in the UK. Currently, Tensel is produced in the USA (Mobile, Alabama, by Lenzing AG), in England (Grimsby), in Austria (Heiligenkreuz, Burgenland).
The properties
Tensel fabrics are in serious competition with natural fabrics made from natural fibers. By their qualities, they have the following advantages.
- soft, fit well to the body;
- are not subject to rupture, both in the wet state and in the dry;
- hygienic;
- environmentally friendly;
- superior in elasticity and moisture absorption to cotton;
- do not crumple;
- they can be washed both manually and in a typewriter;
- retain all their properties after dry cleaning;
- are well painted during the manufacturing process;
Well imitate the texture of natural materials: suede, leather, and silk. In the manufacturing process, the tensel is processed in various ways. For example, combine threads with fibers of cotton, wool, silk, viscose, linen, nylon, polyester. You can probably spin a thread from pure tensel, but so far it is a very expensive material.
Advantages and disadvantages
1. Tensel - the fabric is the most durable of cellulose fibers. It is stronger than cotton and linen.
2. Tencel - shine fabric, drapes perfectly.
3. Due to the fact that this is an artificial fiber, the diameter and length of the threads can be varied during the production process. Thin web is widely used in the textile industry.
4. Has moderate elasticity, does not crease like cotton or linen.
5. For clothes made of this fabric, a slight shrinkage during washing is characteristic.
6. Tensel - the fabric is hypoallergenic, because it is environmentally friendly, free of harmful chemicals, smooth, non-traumatic. Suitable for people with dry skin and prone to dermatitis.
7. Hygiene. Eucalyptus, from which Tensel is made, has healing and bactericidal properties. Tencel - the fabric for bedding is the most suitable.
8. Breathability and hygroscopicity. Tensel perfectly passes air (breathes), it is better than cotton and silk in terms of hygroscopicity and moisture loss. Good moisture exchange keeps the body dry. Products retain their good appearance even after repeated cleanings.
Application
As practice shows, the production of tensel is more expensive than cotton or viscose. To improve the quality, various additives to tissues are used: seaweed, aloe, silver ions. As a result, the tensel becomes an excellent universal fiber with many useful properties.
In the textile market, it is popular and in demand. It is widely used for many everyday purposes and in clothes, for example, jeans, underwear, sportswear, as a fabric for bedding.
Tencel is used in the manufacture of belts for conveyors, special paper, napkins and diapers for babies, dressings. In recent years, production tends to move to other countries. Fabric suppliers are located in the Far East, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, and India.