As high end upholstery cleaners specializing in complicated fibers (things so delicate that we sometimes need to clean in our own shop rather than in our clients homes) we come across a lot of fibers that are new or experimental, or just ones that we’ve not heard of before. Last week a client asked one of my sales team members if we have experience with Tensel fiber. This is this one is not particularly new so the answer was yes.
Her question inspired me to touch on two of the more obscure and unusual fibers that we have come across. There is a separate blog post that I’ve written on the grass fibers that are gaining popularity and you can read that here. In this post, I am going to talk about Tencel and Alcantara. These two fibers are man-made.
Tencel is a brand name of fibers also known as ‘Lyocell’ and ‘Modal’. These are cellulosic fibers made from wood pulp, similar to viscose. The look and feel is like rayon, but this fiber originates from natural fibers rather than man-made fibers. It is categorized as a synthetic product because of the chemical process it goes through in order to achieve the end result of a soft and luxurious fiber. Unlike viscose, the chemical production of Lyocell and Modal is nontoxic – but it is expensive – which is why it is priced higher than viscose. Because of its cellulosic nature, Tencel fabric and other types of Lycell and Modell are quite strong when dry, but lose a lot of their strength when wet. For this reason, laundering them and cleaning them can be quite damaging if done incorrectly or too aggressively. The critical part of the cleaning process with these fabrics is actually in the drying. These fabrics/fibers do not react well to the sun or high heat and can turn yellow, loose their softness and pill among other problems.
We see Tencel a lot in carpeting and sometimes area rugs – not frequently in upholstery.
Alcantara is a brand name for a microfiber textile that has a suede-like texture. Primarily used in vehicle upholstery, we also see it in high end furniture. This fabric is made of a blend of polyester and polyurethane, and while most micro-suedes are a cleaners easiest job, when used on furniture, this one has a raised nap that makes it wear a bit more easily, absorb oils and requires a cleaning technician who is skilled with velvet to ensure a perfect outcome. (An outcome that is less critical or noticeable in your car.) At Mother Nature’s Cleaning, we generally bring these pieces back to our shop for the best results.
Both of these fabrics have unique qualities that make them really soft and luxurious to the touch, but complicated to clean if you don’t know what you are doing. Lucky for you, we know them well and can apply the right techniques to clean them properly for the best results.
Give us a call to ask about our process for cleaning Tencel and Alcantara types of fabrics on your sofas, car seats or carpeting!
