You might have already heard about Modal and have varying opinions about it. It might be just another type of fabric, yet, it is taking the fashion industry by storm. According to Sewport, Japan was the first country to develop Modal in 1951 with China being the largest importer. Modal is commonly found in activewear, bed sheets, jerseys, and underwear.
This article will explain everything about Modal and why it is revolutionising the fashion industry which is good for the environment too.
What is Modal?
Modal is a cellulose-based fibre extracted from beech tree pulp. International Standard ISO 206: 999 (E) defines Modal as a durable and sustainable fabric with high wet modulus. The high content of wet modulus influenced the naming of this fabric.
Modal is a eco-friendly alternative and it can only be made from beech tree, technically, European Schneider Zelkova tree. It is preferred over other types of fabric because it’s lightweight, durable, breathable, and best of all — it’s environmentally friendly.
Making of Modal Fabric
The production of Modal starts with harvesting of beech trees and the extracted pulp is further processed into a cellulose. Using sodium hydroxide, this cellulose can be transformed into sheets that is broken into smaller pieces and soaked in carbon disulfide which gives sodium cellulose xanthate. The cellulose xanthate is again soaked in sodium hydroxide turning it into a liquid solution.
The processing of fibres starts at this stage, the liquid is processed through a spinneret. The fibres created in this process is soaked in sulfuric acid which gives us yarn which is washed, bleached, and dried up for the next step. The yarn is woven into modal and it’s time for our artists to apply their skills to make your favourite apparels.
Benefits of Modal
Modal is a luxury fabric renowned throughout the fashion industry. It is usually blended with other fabrics to increase it’s properties.
Here are a few benefits that you can get from wearing Modal clothes:
- Eco-friendly
- Breathable
- Soft
- Durable
- Stretchy
- Bio-degradable
- Lightweight
- Versatile
- Colour-gripping
- Size-retaining
- Low maintenance
Why is Modal Fabric used at Karmikh?
Modal feel lavish when worn, it feels soft as silk, and can be worn all day with ease. Modal doesn’t trap odour, it is breathable, lightweight, durable and can be enjoyed for years. Even though Modal is semi-synthetic in nature, it is far superior to synthetic fibres like nylon and polyester.
Above all, Modal is produced using eco-friendly practices which reduces water wastage by ten to twenty percent. Moreover, it is 50 times more absorbent when compared to cotton, making even the warmest days feel breezy.
When we learnt about these benefits of Modal, we couldn’t resist but share it with you.
Check out our Modal Products for men and women and grab yours today!
Source: Sewport, Fibre2Fashion, Sustainable Jungle, Masterclass