Modal: What is it?

The most important facts:

• Modal is made from beech wood, which is chemically processed into fibres
• Modal is known as a regenerated fibre as it is produced from renewable raw materials
• Modal is cooling, gentle on the skin and breathable
• Compared to many other fibres, Modal is very environmentally friendly to produce
• To wash clothes made from Modal, we recommend short wash cycles with a low spin speed

Modal – doesn’t this word have a little 60s charm about it? That would certainly be fitting, as the material was first created in that decade when people were increasingly looking for textile materials whose raw materials could be grown in Central Europe.

For a long time, the resulting textiles led a rather niche existence, but since the combination of the outdoor boom and interest in sustainability, the demand for such materials has grown by leaps and bounds.

Synthetic or natural?

Modal is a fibre that is obtained from beech wood and processed using a chemical process. Together with viscose and Tencel, these fibres are called regenerated fibres, which consist of naturally renewable raw materials. As wood and its cellulose form the basic material for all these fibres, they are also called ‘synthetic cellulose fibres’ in contrast to purely natural fibres and synthetic chemical fibres.

Modal is a “structurally-modified viscose with a higher degree of polymerisation (above 400 to 700) compared to normal viscose”. Due to this molecular ‘update’, modal features more functional advantages compared to viscose and is sometimes referred to as “the better viscose.” One of its advantages includes its amazing tensile strength when wet, which is especially useful for outdoor use. Also, modal is more durable, abrasion-resistant and is less prone to shrinkage compared to viscose.

In addition, two types of modal with slightly different functional emphases have been developed: a Polynosic (PN) type that can be optimally blended with cotton and a HWM (High Wet Modulus) type, which features a higher breaking strength and tensile strength. You can read more about this topic in the properties section.

How is it manufactured?

As already mention, modal is made from a raw material called beech wood. While viscose can be produced from various basic materials, modal is exclsuively made from beech wood. Now, let’s take a look at the production process: the wood is first debarked and chipped. Then, these chips are processed using a multi-stage chemical solution process and are then spun mechanically with a spinneret to form the fibres. As a result, cellulose fibres are produced.

Properties

Modal has the ability to combine the advantages of natural and synthetic fibres, without taking on any of their disadvantages. Therefore, modal is a lot more durable than cotton, but still offers the equivalent amount of comfort. And, in comparison to other synthetic fibres, such as polyester, it provides just as much moisture management and feels even softer against the skin.

Both comfort and a pleasant microclimate are modal’s greatest advantages thanks to the fabric’s ability to absorb water and quickly wick away moisture. Plus, modal absorbs 50% more moisture than cotton. Another advantage: the fabric is super breathable, which now brings us to modal’s amazing functionality. Modal is particularly stretchy, durable, dimensionally stable, insensitive to heat and easy to care for. In other words, you can throw it into the washing machine and in the dryer without fear of damage, shrinkage or change of colour. And no matter how many times modal gets wet, it won’t affect its durability.

Up to now, modal has mainly been processed in fibre blends, where it often has a positive effect on the other fibres’ properties. For instance, cotton becomes softer, silk becomes more durable and linen becomes stretchier.

Feel and comfort

When it comes to comfort, modal is equally impressive. Its fibres’ smooth surface ensures not only softness, but also comfort and a silky sheen. Speaking of which, when touching modal, it’ll feel as if you’re touching silk.

So it’s not surprising that modal is pleasant on the skin and great for both allergy sufferers and individuals with sensitive skin. As a result of its softness, you’ll mainly find modal in your underwear and other garments that are worn close to the skin. And, despite its softness, garments made from modal and modal blends don’t “sag”, but rather provide a great fit. This is due to the fact that the fabric is elastic, maintains its shape and remains comfortable even after several washes.

Modal for outdoor use

Modal is typically used to make underwear, shirts and long sleeve tops, as this is where its functionality really shines through.

Since modal is cooling rather than warming, it isn’t very windproof or weatherproof. Therefore, modal’s amazing properties are best suited for strenuous activities and in hot temperatures. However, to create warm outdoor base layers, modal can be combined with merino wool to balance the temperature inside the garment (as if you were wearing an air conditioner).

Is model sustainable?

When comparing modal to natural fibres, such as cotton, or synthetic fibres, such as polyester, you’ll notice that modal stands-out in terms of functionality and eco-friendliness. Plus, in the field of synthetic cellulose fibres, modal is a close-second to TENCEL Lyocell.

In terms of sustainability, eco-friendly modal is better-than-average in terms of water consumption, energy consumption, land use, use of pesticides and pollutants, and waste products compared to natural and synthetic fibres, such as cotton or polyester. And, unlike synthetic fibres, the production of modal doesn’t involve the use of raw fossil materials, such as petroleum and natural gas. It’s even more sustainable than natural materials, such as organic cotton, because less water and energy are needed to produce and process modal. However, a number of chemicals are used in the production process, which can cause damage if they get into the environment. Modal therefore certainly has advantages, but its production harbours its own dangers for people and the environment. Many manufacturers are therefore focusing on closed production cycles to reduce the risk of chemicals being released into the environment.

Care

As always, when buying a new garment made from modal, you should keep and read the instructions indicated on the care label. Although modal is very easy to care for, you’ll get the most out of it with the right care. So, here are a few simple tips:

• Washing the garment with the quick wash cycle prevents unnecessary stress to the fabric.
• Reducing the spin speed to a maximum of 600 rpm will also reduce this stress.
• Modal can also be ironed at a low or medium temperature. But luckily, ironing is usually not necessary, since the fabric doesn’t crease.