Modal versus cotton and viscose for bedding
Comparing softness, moisture absorption and wet strength of modal, cotton and viscose for underwear, bedding and towels
Modal and cotton are two different fibers: they share plant origin, but the path from raw material to fabric is different, as are the use properties. Modal belongs to the family of regenerated cellulose fibers, produced from wood, while cotton is a natural fiber harvested directly from the plant. The third player in this comparison is viscose, the oldest and cheapest of the regenerated celluloses, with which modal is sometimes confused.
Modal wins on softness and moisture absorption: 12 to 13% moisture regain compared to 7 to 8.5% for cotton. It also pills less frequently than cotton fabrics. Cotton, on the other hand, has significantly higher wet strength, 110 to 125% of dry strength compared to 60 to 65% in modal. This means it can be washed at high temperature and spun forcefully without worrying about fiber structure.
This translates into concrete buying recommendations. Modal works best in underwear, pajamas and premium t-shirts, where direct skin contact and wearing comfort matter. Cotton decidedly performs better in towels, which require frequent washing at high temperature, and in everyday bedding, where resistance to intensive washing is more important than maximum softness.
What modal is and how it is made
Modal is a regenerated cellulose fiber, produced mainly from common beechwood. The raw wood is shredded and chemically dissolved using sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide, then spun again into a thin, uniform fiber. This process makes modal a semi-synthetic fiber: the raw material is fully natural, but the fiber production itself is industrial in character.
Modal belongs to the MMCF family, alongside viscose and lyocell. It was developed in the 1960s as the second generation of regenerated celluloses, improving on viscose in terms of strength and resistance to pilling. A thinner-fiber variant, MicroModal, goes mainly into premium underwear, because it allows more threads to be packed into the same yarn and gives even higher softness.
Physical properties of modal
12 to 13% moisture regain, versus 7 to 8.5% in cotton
60 to 65% of dry strength, lower than cotton (110 to 125%)
Low, less frequent than in cotton fabrics
Very high, among the highest of cellulosic fabrics
Yes, as a cellulose fiber it undergoes natural decomposition
Modal, cotton and viscose: comparison
Modal
Regenerated cellulose fiber from beechwood
The best choice for underwear and pajamas, where touch comfort matters.
Modal is the second generation of regenerated celluloses, developed with higher strength and less pilling than classic viscose in mind.
Cotton
Natural fiber harvested from the cotton plant
The best choice for towels and bedding requiring frequent high-temperature washing.
Cotton withstands forceful spinning and high temperature without losing fiber structure, which is why it works where washing frequency matters.
Viscose
The oldest regenerated cellulose
More delicate than modal, it requires more careful washing and less often goes into everyday bedding.
Viscose shares its origin with modal, but a simpler production process translates into lower wet strength and greater tendency to pill.
How to wash and dry modal bedding
Care rules for modal bedding
Wash temperature
30 degrees on a gentle program protects the fiber against excessive stretching. Higher temperature speeds up the loss of softness.
Spinning
Low to moderate spin, up to 800 rpm. Modal has lower wet strength than cotton, so aggressive spinning weakens the fiber.
Drying
Dry flat or at low dryer temperature. High heat and intensive tumble drying encourage pilling.
Ironing
Medium iron temperature, ideally with steam, while the fabric is still slightly damp.
Bleaching
No chlorine bleach. Chlorine breaks down the structure of regenerated cellulose much faster than it does cotton.
Modal bedding in a nutshell
Do
- Choose modal for underwear, pajamas and t-shirts prized for softness against skin
- Choose cotton for towels and bedding requiring frequent high-temperature washing
- Wash modal bedding at low temperature, on a gentle program
Don't
- Don't expect modal to handle aggressive spinning like cotton
- Don't expect cotton to have modal's softness
- Don't dry modal bedding at high tumble dryer temperature
Risks of improper washing
Chlorine bleach and high drying temperature are the biggest risks for modal bedding. Chlorine breaks down the structure of regenerated cellulose faster than it does cotton, and intense heat from a tumble dryer weakens the fiber and speeds up pilling.
Common mistakes and when to use a laundry service
The most common mistake is treating modal bedding the same as cotton: washing at high temperature, spinning forcefully and drying in a hot dryer. That combination quickly strips the fiber of the softness that is the main reason for choosing modal in the first place.
The second mistake is overloading the drum. Modal needs room to move freely in the water, otherwise the fibers rub against each other and pill faster. A third common problem is drying in direct sunlight, which weakens dyes and encourages the fabric to dry out.
It's worth handing a large duvet or a complete set of modal bedding to a laundry service when there's no dryer at home with a sufficiently low temperature setting, for stubborn stains requiring professional agents, and for blends of modal with silk or wool, where different fibers require different washing parameters.
When buying, check the label for the share of modal in the blend. Fabrics with even a small addition of elastane require an even lower wash temperature than pure modal, because elastane loses elasticity under heat.
Now you know the theory. Practice can be less forgiving.
If you would rather not risk your favourite piece, leave it to the specialists at Gorące Żelazko laundry in Lublin.
Frequently asked questions
Modal is a regenerated cellulose fiber produced mainly from common beechwood (Fagus sylvatica). It belongs to the MMCF family, alongside viscose and lyocell, and is considered the second generation of regenerated celluloses, developed by Lenzing in the 1960s.
Modal is semi-synthetic: the raw material, cellulose from wood, is fully natural, but the fiber-making process itself, involving chemical reactions with sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide, is industrial. That's why it's classified as regenerated cellulose fiber, neither strictly natural nor fully synthetic.
MicroModal is a modal variant with smaller linear mass, meaning thinner individual fiber. Thinner fiber allows more threads to be packed in the same yarn, giving even higher softness than standard modal. MicroModal goes mainly into premium underwear.
For underwear modal usually wins on softness and moisture absorption (12 to 13% versus 7 to 8.5% in cotton). Cotton wins on wet strength and ease of care at high temperature. Choice depends on whether softness or washing durability is the priority.
Partially. Beechwood from recognized producers like Lenzing or TENCEL more often comes from certified FSC or PEFC sources and operates in a partially closed-loop. Modal is however less ecological than lyocell, where solvent recovery exceeds 99%.
