Let's talk about TENCEL™
At the end of July 2023 Eva’s Sunday have proudly released The Nic Edit. It is a small collection of garments & accessories featuring a very beautiful fabrication (named Melbourne Black by us) that we were able to acquire opportunistically; the end of a production lot / surplus fabric from a French fashion house.
We won’t mention any names but tres exciting! Surplus of this kind is known as ‘deadstock’ in the fashion industry. It is highly sought after by small independent labels like ES. Needless to say we are delighted to incorporate it into our offering.
This fabric is a blend of linen & TENCEL™ (here after referred to as tencel). This is a new fabrication for us so we thought we’d take the opportunity to dive a little deeper into the facts about tencel.
Tencel is in fact a brand name for a set of fibers called lyocell and modal. Much like the brand Band-Aids describes small bandages or Kleenex describes paper based facial tissues. Tencel is a man-made fabric developed by the Austrian textile company Lenzing. It is manufactured from the wood and cellulose of sustainably harvested Eucalyptus trees. A tree which grows quickly without need of irrigation, pesticides, fertilizers or genetic manipulation.
It is then produced through a closed loop system that recovers 99% of the non-toxic chemicals needed to break down the wood into fibre. This closed loop system is powered by bio-energy. The raw fabric that’s produced is also pure white, meaning no bleaching is needed to strip the fibre of colour before dying (unlike cotton). All in all, Tencel is about as sustainable a material as it gets.
Tencel ticks lots of the right boxes which is why the fashion world is embracing it. Lets run through these.
ABSORBENCY - It wicks moisture from the skin 50% quicker than cotton.
BREATHABILITY - Helping to maintain and regulate the temperature of the body (in other words in keeps you cool in hot weather)
ANTI-BACTERIAL - Naturally odour resistant meaning your clothes smell fresher for longer; less washing is a good thing
COMFORT - The fine fibres make it incredibly soft and comfortable to wear.
IT'S STRONG WHEN WET - This gives tencel the benefit of being able to be machine or hand washed without needing to worry about the material stretching or losing its shape.
IT DOESN’T CRINKLE OR CREASE - Tencel is one of the rare fabrics that doesn’t crinkle or crease easily
IT'S BIODEGRADABLE - Tencel is a 100% natural material made from wood pulp, meaning that it can fully biodegrade. Tests show that half the material is broken down after just 3 months which is around double the speed of cotton.
IT HOLDS COLOUR WELL AND IS EASY TO DYE - This means limited garment fading.
GREAT FOR SENSITIVE SKIN - Tencel has the added benefit of being great for allergy prone or sensitive skin. It’s soft smooth fibre feels kind as it gently drapes on your skin and wicks any moisture quickly away. It helps keep the skin dry and avoids irritations.
So when combined with a wonderful natural fiber like linen, these two make a pretty special blend. And don't even get us started on the fabulous drape, sheen and overall luxe hand feel of this new fabric in our range.
Don't be concerned about caring for your Nic Edit garments as you are basically following the same care regime as for 100% linen fabrications. Lets take a moment to recap those.
Washing
Hand washing is not necessary & nor is dry cleaning. Wash at a low temperature (max. 30°C) using the wool wash or delicates cycle. Use an eco-friendly wool wash detergent as this is less aggressive than normal laundry formulations.
We suggest turning your garment inside out - it will reduce the friction on the fabric. Another important tip is not overloading your machine – heavy loads will increase friction and add to wear & tear. Don't use fabric softener. And as always: less is more! Wash as little as possible and always wash your items with similar colors.
Drying
Don't leave garments sitting wet in the machine. Give them a gentle shake out to reduce creasing and hang to dry immediately. Avoid direct sunlight. A great tip in winter is to dry close to a heated towel rack if you have one. Do not tumble dry.
Ironing & Steaming
Steaming is the gentle option but you may not have one. If you iron has a good steam setting then hover the iron over your garment expressing steam as you go. Alternatively gently press your garment inside out using a warm setting.
