Got an awesome skirt at the thrift the other day for $0.49. The label says it's cotton and tencel, which I've never heard of. Is it a natural fabric?

Thanks!

I remember Allison's S&S and post saying it's a wood pulp fabric.

Really?? Wow! Wood pulp, eh?

The skirt is really soft, like a thin brushed denim.... The brand is Democracy with a bunch of trees on the label, so I had a feeling it might be natural.

Thanks for the info! :)

http://www.rockinternational.com/Tencelpage.htm & Democracy is a good brand :) .

You know, Rayon is a wood pulp fabric, too. I just learned that the other day. I've been wondering exactly "how" they do that.

With lots of chemicals. Tencel is part of the rayon family. Usually thicker than rayon. It is made from wood pulp, but I don't consider it a "natural" fabric. More natural than poly, but it isn't something you could grow, harvest, and process yourself, unlike cotton, wool, linen, flax, and hemp.

Ditto what Allison said I do like that they breath and that they feel nice.

Ditto what Allison said I do like that they breath and that they feel nice.

And the drape is FABULOUS.

They not be completely natural, but I just got some of the most beautiful rayon prints to make mama skirts with. :) I'm going to have fun with those!!!

Rayon fibres are natural but manmade. They take the wood pulp and dissolve it in a solvent to be a kind of goo. Then they extrude the goo through tiny holes to make the fibre then wash the solvent out of the fibre. They aren't as strong as many other natural fibres, especially when wet, but are very absorbant and breathable so are good choices for summer.

I wish I'd paid more attention during textile science, I'd love to take the course again now that I'm actually interested in textiles!