Cellulosic

Modal

Regenerated cellulose with wet strength in mind.

Reviewed 2026-09-22. Evidence level: verified. Open the interactive profile and route map.

Key figures

Process family: modified viscose (xanthate) route
Defining property: high wet modulus compared with regular viscose
Example finenesses: 1.3 dtex regular-fine; 1.0 dtex microfiber
Man-made cellulosics, share of world fiber (2022): about 6%
US labeling: modal permitted via ISO 2076; within the rayon definition

Approximate values under the stated conditions.

Overview

Production: about 0.2 million tonnes (around 2.8% of regenerated cellulose fiber) (global modal production (review estimate), 2019). [3]

A modified viscose-type cellulose fiber with improved wet mechanical properties.

Feel and behavior

Soft, absorbent and often used in smooth jersey.

Where you find it

Underwear, loungewear, T-shirts and bedding blends.

Source and geography

Modal is a regenerated cellulose fiber made by a modified viscose route and designed for a high wet modulus. Like viscose it is spun from dissolving wood pulp; a 2024 review describes modal as made from beech pulp, and research on dissolving pulps shows that wood source and pulping method (beech or spruce, sulfite or prehydrolysis kraft) change the hemicellulose that remains in the fiber. Modal is a small part of man-made cellulosic fiber consumption, used mainly in lingerie, underwear, loungewear and jersey. Lenzing sells its modal under the TENCEL umbrella brand.

Advantages

It is very soft and smooth, with a cool, silky touch against the skin.
It keeps shape and resists shrinkage in washing much better than regular viscose.
It absorbs moisture and takes dye well, keeping colors bright over many washes.
It drapes closely, suiting underwear, loungewear and fitted tops.

Drawbacks

It can pill in friction areas, especially in thin or loosely knitted fabrics.
Light jersey can cling and become see-through.
It is made by a viscose-type route that uses carbon disulfide, so plant controls determine its footprint.
It costs more than cotton or regular viscose jersey.

Worth knowing

A 2010 life cycle study ranked Lenzing's Austrian-made modal among the lowest-impact fibers it compared, alongside Tencel lyocell and Austrian viscose.
Laboratory laundering of knits found that cellulose-based fabrics shed more fiber by mass than polyester, yet the rayon and cotton fragments biodegraded in aerobic water tests.

Types, grades and fabrics

Types and grades

Modal is defined as a high-wet-modulus regenerated cellulose: it is made by a modified viscose route so that it resists stretching when wet far better than regular viscose. Commercial forms include regular modal staple for cotton-type spinning, finer micro modal grades for very soft, light knits, and dope-dyed modal colored before spinning. Lenzing sells modal under its TENCEL brand, and other producers make generic modal. 'Beech modal' refers to fiber made from beech pulp, a producer-sourcing statement rather than a separate fiber. Polynosic fibers are an older related high-wet-modulus class. In lingerie and T-shirts, modal is often blended with cotton, and with a few percent elastane for stretch.

Fabrics and products

Modal is mostly knitted. Single jersey in T-shirts, camisoles and dresses, fine rib and interlock in underwear and lingerie, and French terry and fleece in loungewear show its softness and drape. Modal and cotton blends are common in T-shirts and sleepwear, combining modal's smoothness with cotton's structure, and modal and elastane blends are used for close-fitting underwear and base layers. Woven modal appears in sheets, pillowcases and shirting, often in sateen or twill. In towels and bath robes it is blended with cotton for softness, and it is also used in socks and scarves.

Buying and care

How to judge quality

Good modal jersey feels smooth, cool and dense, with enough weight that it is not see-through when stretched; very thin, light knits cling and show wear quickly. Pilling is the most common complaint, especially in lower-quality blends and in areas of friction, so look for a smooth, tightly knit surface without loose fibers. Check the generic name on the content label: 'TENCEL' alone does not say whether the fiber is modal or lyocell, and 'micro modal' is a trade term. Recovery matters for underwear: a modal and elastane blend should spring back after stretching. Pulp and plant claims need producer or certification evidence.

Care in detail

Wash modal at 30 to 40 C on a gentle cycle with mild detergent, inside out, and group it with smooth fabrics rather than towels or jeans to reduce pilling. Avoid chlorine bleach. Tumble dry on low or line dry; high heat stresses elastane blends and can cause some shrinkage. Most modal needs no ironing; if needed, use a low to medium setting, one or two dots, on the reverse. Remove pills with a fabric shaver rather than pulling them. Store knits folded, since heavy modal dresses can stretch on hangers. Follow the label for blends, which govern care.

Care at a glance

Use the label’s wash and dry instructions. Support delicate knits and avoid unnecessary heat.

Environmental and social footprint

Modal shares the viscose chemistry of carbon disulfide and sulfuric acid, so its footprint depends heavily on chemical recovery, energy and pulp at the specific plant. In the 2010 life cycle assessment by Shen, Worrell and Patel of Lenzing fibers, modal made in Austria ranked with Tencel lyocell and Austrian viscose among the lowest overall impacts, while viscose produced in Asia was comparable to PET; those results cannot be transferred to modal from other producers. Forest sourcing is covered by Canopy's Hot Button assessments of fiber producers. Rayon knits shed fiber fragments in laundering, but laboratory tests have found rayon fragments biodegrade in aerobic water, unlike polyester.

Tradeoffs

The process and wood supply need documentation. Modal is a generic fiber name, not one exclusive brand.

A useful question to ask: Which fiber producer and pulp sources stand behind the material?

Science

Manufactured cellulose family

Regenerated cellulose or a cellulose derivative, depending on the fiber.

Structure and chemistry

Modal is cellulose II like viscose, but its production is modified so that the fiber is stronger and more uniform. It has a slightly oval, more regular cross-section with fewer longitudinal striations than regular viscose, and a thin hemicellulose-rich outer layer has been measured in viscose, modal and lyocell alike. The result is a higher wet modulus: modal resists stretching when wet far better than regular viscose. Its cellulose chains, like those of viscose, are relatively short, which limits how well it survives chemical recycling. Microfiber grades exist; one lingerie study compared regular-fine 1.3 dtex modal with 1.0 dtex modal microfiber.

From source to yarn

Modal follows the viscose sequence: steeping in sodium hydroxide, pressing and shredding, aging, xanthation with carbon disulfide, dissolution in dilute alkali, ripening, filtration and deaeration, then extrusion into an acid regeneration bath. The modifications lie in the spinning and regeneration conditions and in stretching, adjusted to give higher strength and wet modulus than regular viscose. Staple is washed, finished and cut, then commonly ring, air-jet or rotor spun, and rib-knit fabrics from these yarn types differ in thickness, breathability and abrasion. As a viscose-type process, carbon disulfide handling and recovery remain central plant-level questions.

Performance in use

Modal is soft, smooth and absorbent, and its higher wet modulus means less stretching and shrinkage in washing than regular viscose; reviewers describe it as more durable and more shrinkage resistant. It dyes readily with reactive and direct dyes. In a rib-knit lingerie study, fabrics from 1.0 dtex modal microfiber were lighter and thinner and absorbed more moisture than those from 1.3 dtex modal, but were slightly less breathable and abrasion resistant, with comparable strength and pilling after wet relaxation. Like all cellulosics it chars rather than melts and can mildew if stored damp.

How it is identified

Burn tests are indicative only; modal burns like other cellulose, with a paper-like smell and soft ash. It is hard to separate from viscose or lyocell by simple means: microscopy may show a more regular, oval cross-section and fewer striations than regular viscose, but conclusive identification often needs wet-strength testing, specialist microscopy or producer documentation. FTIR confirms cellulose only. Descriptions such as 'beech modal' or 'micro modal' are trade terms, and TENCEL can mean modal or lyocell.

History

Timeline

1930sFibers of the modal type were first developed for industrial uses such as tires, conveyor belts and hoses. [1]
2010A life cycle assessment ranked Lenzing's Austrian-made modal among the lowest-impact fibers it compared, a result specific to that producer. [2]
2019A review estimated modal production at about 0.2 million tonnes, around 2.8% of regenerated cellulose fiber output. [3]
2026Aalto University researchers reported respinning modal and viscose waste into lyocell-type fibers with the Ioncell process. [4]

Modal developed within the regenerated-cellulose family to improve particular mechanical properties, especially when wet. It became familiar in smooth knits and next-to-skin blends. It is a generic fiber category, separate from brand names.

The deeper record

Modal emerged within the regenerated-cellulose family as producers sought a stronger, more wet-stable form of rayon; a 2024 review credits Lenzing with coining the name and lists it among the leading producers. Its commercial identity grew around soft jersey, lingerie and home textiles rather than industrial uses. Recycling research is now turning to it: Aalto University's Ioncell process, a lyocell-type route using an ionic liquid, has respun white modal and white, blue and black viscose waste into fibers with dry tenacities up to about 1.9 times those of the original materials.

Labeling and law

Modal is a recognized fiber name in the EU under Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, which distinguishes viscose, modal, lyocell and cupro. In the United States, 16 CFR 303.7 incorporates the names in ISO 2076, so modal may be used on labels; otherwise the fiber falls under rayon, regenerated cellulose with no more than 15% of hydroxyl hydrogens substituted. The name describes a fiber type, not a producer, so a modal label alone does not establish who made it. Pulp and plant-level claims need separate certification or producer evidence.

This describes what rules and standards cover. It is not legal advice; jurisdiction, product form and current rule text control.

Frequently asked

What is modal fabric?

Modal is a regenerated cellulose fiber made from wood pulp by a modified viscose process that gives it higher strength when wet. It is best known for soft, smooth jersey in underwear, loungewear and T-shirts, often blended with cotton or elastane.

Is modal better than cotton?

It depends on the use. Modal feels smoother and silkier, drapes more closely and keeps colors bright, while cotton is sturdier, cheaper, more breathable in heavier knits and pills less. Many garments blend the two to combine their strengths.

Does modal shrink?

Much less than regular viscose, because its high wet modulus keeps it from stretching and distorting in water. Some shrinkage can still occur with hot washes or high dryer heat, especially in blends, so gentle washing and low drying are safest.

Is modal the same as viscose or rayon?

Modal belongs to the rayon family of regenerated cellulose fibers, and in the United States it falls within the rayon definition. It differs from regular viscose in its production conditions and in its higher wet strength, and the EU lists it as a separate fiber name.

Sources

Cite this page

Chaos. (2026). Modal. In Fibers of Earth: An independent textile atlas. https://www.hendrickresearch.com/fibers/materials/modal/