Lyocell

The closed-loop solvent process is the genuine environmental argument: Lenzing publishes a recovery rate of roughly 99.8% for the NMMO solvent at its TENCEL™ lyocell plants. But ‘lyocell’ is a generic fibre name, not a brand — it is listed in Annex I (No. 33) of EU Regulation 1007/2011 and in ISO 2076, and the US FTC allows it as a generic alternative to ‘rayon’ for solvent-spun cellulose. TENCEL™ is the brand; lyocell is the fibre class. So generic lyocell from an uncertified mill does not necessarily run that same recovery rate — ask the mill for its own figure in writing. And FSC covers the wood pulp origin, not the solvent recovery — those are two separate questions, and both are worth asking.

GOTS is not available on lyocell. A GOTS product must be at least 70% certified organic natural fibre, and GOTS classes lyocell as a regenerated fibre — an allowed additional fibre that never counts toward the organic content. Where the pulp comes from certified organic feedstock, pre- or post-consumer waste, or a certified sustainable-forestry programme, lyocell is permitted up to 30% of a “made with organic” product; lyocell without that sourcing proof is capped at 10%. On the 95% “organic” grade the entire additional-fibre allowance is 5%. So a GOTS certificate presented against a lyocell fabric always covers a blend, and the organic content it refers to is the cotton or other natural fibre in that blend — never the lyocell. Ask for the label grade and the percentage.