Tencel, Tencel Jeans, Fleece, and the "Terrible Towel": A Purchasing FAQ

I've spent the last five years ordering fabric, uniforms, towels, and thread for our company. Not as a fashion buyer—as the office administrator who gets pulled into every procurement decision. Honestly, I didn't know a thing about lyocell when I started. But after enough trials and a few costly mistakes, I've picked up a few things worth sharing.

What is Tencel, and is it actually sustainable?

Let's start with the name. Tencel is a trademark owned by Lenzing, not a generic fiber. It covers two fibers: lyocell and modal. Both are made from wood pulp, usually eucalyptus or beech. You'll see "Tencel lyocell" and "Tencel modal" on labels.

Is it sustainable? It's tempting to think "it's plant-based, so it's automatically green." But it's not that simple. Lenzing's own literature says the closed-loop process recovers about 99% of the solvent used to break down the wood. That's genuinely better than conventional viscose. But the fiber is only part of the story. Fabric still gets dyed, finished, and shipped. A Tencel shirt that crosses the ocean by air has a different carbon footprint than one made and sold locally.

One thing I've learned to push back on: the claim that "Tencel is 100% biodegradable." That's an oversimplification. The fiber can biodegrade under the right conditions, but if it's blended with polyester or coated with a finish, those rules change. So ask for the blend. Ask for the finish. Don't just nod at the word "eco."

Is Tencel fabric actually good for jeans?

Yes, but not for the reason people think. Tencel in denim makes the fabric feel soft and drapey instead of stiff and rigid. I ordered Tencel-blend jeans for our warehouse team in 2024. The staff loved that they didn't need to break them in. No complaints about chafing, which is more than I can say for the all-cotton jeans we bought the year before.

But here's the catch: "tencel fabric jeans" doesn't tell you the blend. Some are 100% lyocell. Some are 70/30 cotton/lyocell. Some have 3% elastane. The performance differs a lot. Pure Tencel can wear out faster in the knees of someone doing physical work. I've seen abrasion issues on denim with more than 50% Tencel. For office staff, fine. For warehouse staff, not so much.

Also, if someone promises "wrinkle-free, shrink-proof Tencel jeans," ask for the spec sheet. I've never once seen that hold true across all blends. It's a red flag.

What is Tencel fleece? Is it worth it?

Tencel fleece is not the same as the polyester fleece you think of from a camping store. It's a knit fabric—often with a brushed back—that uses Tencel fibers. It feels soft. I mean, really soft. When I bought Tencel fleece throw blankets for our office, they were a hit within a week. Less static than polyester. It also breathes better, which is nice indoors.

But it's not a winter insulator. Honestly, if someone needs a jacket for a Minnesota January, Tencel fleece won't do it. Polyester fleece traps more heat and dries faster. Tencel fleece absorbs moisture, which is good for comfort but bad if you need quick-drying gear. So it works for hoodies, blankets, casual cardigans. Not for extreme outdoor gear.

The other issue is cost. Tencel fleece costs more than equivalent polyester fleece. I'm not going to lie—I hesitated when I saw the price. But for an office setting, people use blankets differently than climbers in a tent. It comes down to use case, not which one is "better."

What is Madeira rayon, and should I use it?

Madeira is a German thread brand that's been around for over a century. They make all sorts of threads, but the one people ask about is "Madeira rayon." That's a viscose/rayon embroidery thread. It has a smooth, slightly shiny finish and works really well for machine embroidery, especially on garments that need to move with the fabric.

From my point of view as a buyer, rayon thread is a bigger pain than polyester thread because of color matching. You look at a digital color chart, pick what you think is navy, and receive something that's practically purple. We didn't have a formal color verification process back then. Cost us once: 120 spools of the wrong shade, all for a company offsite uniform. I had to eat the cost. After that, I made a rule: always request a physical thread card before ordering more than ten spools. It's saved us from repeating that mistake.

Is Madeira rayon worth it? For embroidery on cotton or linen, yes. The sheen and drape are hard to beat. For general sewing or construction, no—standard polyester thread is cheaper and stronger. Don't let a supplier upsell you into rayon thread for something that should be nylon or poly.

Why is it called a terrible towel?

The answer to this one: it's not "terrible." It's "terry." Terry cloth comes from the French word tirer, which means "to pull." The loops are literally pulled from the weave to create that absorbent surface. So when someone talks about a "terrible towel," they mean a terry towel.

The confusion has a second layer. Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers wave a giant yellow towel they call the Terrible Towel—spelled with an "i-b-l-e." That name was invented for intimidation and has nothing to do with the fabric. I once had a vendor ask me if I was ordering NFL merchandise or bath towels. It was a fair question.

If you're buying for a company, be specific: "terry towel, 100% cotton, 500 GSM." GSM is grams per square meter. That's the number that matters for thickness and absorbency. A 400 GSM towel and a 700 GSM towel are completely different products. I learned this during our 2024 vendor consolidation.

How do I avoid overpaying or getting misled?

Here's the rule I've landed on after years of purchasing: ask what's not included before you ask the price. Sample fees, color matching, shipping, minimums—none of those show up in the headline rate. A supplier who lists those extra fees upfront, even if their quote looks higher, almost always ends up costing less. The company that quotes a low base price and tacks on hidden fees later? They've burned me twice. Never again.

Second: ask for certifications. For Tencel products, ask if the fiber is from Lenzing and whether it's lyocell or modal. For thread, ask for the exact fiber content and look for OEKO-TEX certification if that matters. For towels, ask for GSM and cotton type. If a supplier won't put it in writing, that's a warning sign.

Third: always keep a physical sample. Digital screenshots lie. Color names lie. A thread card or fabric swatch is final. That one habit has saved us thousands of dollars and a lot of awkward meetings.