Artificial
fibres were until about 1990 the poor relation among man-made fibres, but the
ecology movement has since helped them make a comeback in textile applications.
Courtaulds Research of the UK has developed Tencel, a new cellulose biodegradable
artificial raw material, made by a chemically simple production process, whose
performance at least equals that of traditional viscose fibres. Tencel has all
the properties of natural fibres, including good moisture absorbency, comfort
and brightness, making it suitable for leisure and sportswear, with better
drape effects in fashionwear than cotton gives. The fibre strength enables
finer yarns and more lightweight fabrics to be made. For technical fabrics,
Tencel's strength, rigidity and wet modulus produce very strong structures with
low shrinkage; applications include industrial yarns, disposables and durable
goods. Like viscose rayon, Tencel can produce bright, intense colours.
Courtaulds is now operating an industrial-scale Tencel plant in Alabama, USA.
The article provides graphs and statistics showing fibre properties.
Bullio P G., Nuova Sel. Tess., no. 9, Sept. 1992, pp 38-41
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