Modal and Lycra. Can you tell them apart? What are the similarities and differences between them? Both belong to regenerated cellulose fibers and they can meet people’s increasing needs. Both are similar to each other, but they are also different in other aspects. So, we – Aung Crown, an experienced custom hat manufacturer since 1998, will introduce a comprehensive tutorial for all to distinguish between Modal and Lycra.

What’s Modal Fabric?

Modal fabric includes knitted fabric and woven fabric, including pure weave, mixed weave and cross weave. Therefore, modal fabric is green in textiles and is widely applied, favored by home and broad top fashion and home textiles. Modal, also known as Monel or Modal, is a regenerated cellulose fiber with a high wet modulus. Taking beech wood as raw material, modal fabric is made of spun yarn of wood pulp from beech wood – bright in color, soft to the touch, moisture-wicking, and easy to spin and dye.

Here are the 6 things you need to know about Modal fabric in seconds.

1. Modal fabric is very fine and soft to the touch, and it’s very smooth and drapes better than cotton. With natural mercerization, Modal fabric is very suitable for making underwear and shirts.
2. Modal fabric is green fiber and it belongs to sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics, modal fabric is made from natural trees and worn modal fabric can decompose naturally in nature without any human treatment.
3. Modal fabric is strong in moisture wicking and its moisture ability is 1.5 times better than cotton, which is very dry and breathable to wear clothes made of modal fabric. Hygienic and comfortable, modal fabric is used to make underwear, homewear, home textiles, and children’s clothing.
4. Modal fabric is very easy to dye with high color fastness. It doesn’t fade easily after frequent washing and still retains beautiful colors. What’s more, the more you wash modal clothing, the softer it becomes.
5. Modal fabric is much more durable than cotton and linen, making it more suitable for casual and sportswear.
6. Modal is naturally wrinkle-resistant, so it’s a great choice for lining garments.

In a word, Modal fabric is soft and comfortable to wear, which is the ideal fabric for knitted and woven fabrics. Due to its excellent breathability and easy care, modal fabric is preferred by underwear brands. What’s more, modal fabric can also be combined with cotton, linen, and silk for innovation to improve the quality, making them soft and smooth. In addition, modal fabric is environmentally friendly and has been recognized by the textile industry as one of the most potential fabrics of the 21st century. Modal fabric can be used to produce sportswear, casual wear, shirts, and fine apparel fabrics.

What’s Lycra Fabric?

Lycra fabric is made of natural fibers and emerged in the mid-1990s and was renamed as the most valuable man-made fiber over half a century. With many excellent natural and synthetic performances, Lycra fabric is a sustainable fabric and it’s made from inexhaustible cellulose in nature. What’s more, the production process does not involve any chemical reaction, and the solvents used are non-toxic.

Lycra fabric not only has the same properties as natural cotton, comfort, softness to touch, easy to dye, etc. but also is more sustainable, which traditional viscose fiber doesn’t have. The production of viscose fiber releases harmful gaseous substances such as carbon disulfide and hydrogen sulfide, which can pollute the environment. In developed countries, they abandoned conventional viscose fiber produced in their countries.

Lycra fabric can be made from the pulp of regenerated bamboo, wood, etc. The advanced process achieves a solvent recovery rate of 99.7%, which is energy-saving, environmentally friendly, and sustainable. That’s why Lycra garments have a natural sheen, are soft to the touch, durable, won’t shrink, and are highly permeable and breathable. It also has a great effect and performance when blended with wool.

Lycra fabric also has the comfort of cotton, the strength of polyester, the luxury of wool, the unique feel, and the soft drape of silk. Whether it’s wet or dry, Lycra fabric is even more resilient. When it’s wet, its wet strength is much stronger than cotton. Lycra fabric is 100% natural fabric and its production process is eco-friendly, which can protect our environment, can meet the need for sustainable fashion.

Commonalities Between Modal Fabric and Lycra Fabric

Raw materials and eco-friendly: Both fabrics are made from natural plants, such as wood, shrubs, etc. All these natural plants are environmentally friendly.

Recycled cellulose fiber: Modal fabric and Lycra fabric both belong to recycled or regenerated cellulose fibers, which means that they are extracted cellulose from plants and turned into fibers by a special process.

Softness and comfort: Modal fabric and Lycra fabric are soft, smooth, and comfortable to the touch, which is suitable for making intimate apparel.

Excellent moisture wicking: Both are excellent at breathability and moisture-wicking, keeping garments dry and comfortable.

Difference Between Modal Fabric and Lycra Fabric

Raw material source:

Modal fabric: Modal fabric is usually made from wood pulp from European shrubs and processed by spinning silk craft.

Lycra fabric: Made from the pulp of natural plant celluloses and produced by the organic solvent spinning process.

Texture:

Modal fabric: Much softer and finer, the touch is cool and skin-friendly, which is the ideal fabric for intimate apparel. The wet stretch is the same as cotton but less than viscose, and the shrinkage is quite low.

Lycra fabric: Soft and stretchy, much more frame than Modal fabric, ideal for wearing next to the skin. Also used to make coats or jackets. Due to its elasticity, Lycra clothing does not shrink and is very moisture-wicking and breathable.

Apply style:

Modal fabric: Due to its fine characteristics, modal fabric is used to make knitwear, which is more suitable for underwear, bras, camisole dresses, T-shirts, etc.

Lycra fabric: Due to its excellent draping and wide application, Lycra fabric can be used to make all casual outfits, such as shirts, dresses, windbreakers, casual pants, etc.

Both fabrics are different in raw materials, textures, style and environmentally friendly processes, but they are similar in softness, comfort, moisture wicking, and breathability. These differences give each a unique position and application in the apparel and textile markets.