lyocell

Having owned several articles of clothing made from both, they're very much not the same — in particular, lyocell lasts a lot longer.

The major innovation of this paper seems to be a rayon process that uses less harsh chemicals than the current viscose and lyocell processes.

The lyocell process is safer because the chemicals used are less volatile.

The asterisk is that there are lots of other similar fibers (jute, linen, lyocell) that work well in composites, and it's the resins (polyester) which tend to be both more expensive and environmentally problematic.

However the process used (such as viscose vs lyocell) can be environmentally damaging (in the example of viscose, the amount of water and chemicals used).

It's less common, but there's also a lyocell process for bamboo.

Tencel brand is a closed-loop version of the lyocell rayon process.

Varieties like modal and Lyocell are machine washable.

This is especially true in the production of rayon, with things like the lyocell process, using new cellulose sources like bamboo and eucalyptus, and identifying alternative chemical pathways for the production of viscose.

So, anyhow, if you have the time, means, and inclination, I highly recommend looking at newer fabric alternatives like lyocell (typically found as the branded names of Tencel, Modal, or Viscose).

(I have sheets and towels that are bamboo lyocell, and they feel amazing) It's also likely only possible using modern technology, but it is far more environmentally friendly than bamboo rayon (aka viscose).

Natural fabrics are cotton, silk, wool and linen of course, but the semi-synthetic fabrics like the rayons (viscose, modal, "bamboo", Tencel, Lyocell, Bemberg, and some sorts of artificial silk) are wood cellulose chemically rearranged so they're just cellulose when they reach you.

Of course the production process for viscose rayons (not Tencel/Lyocell/Modal - those use a different process) isn't great.

Lyocell is technically in the rayon family but it's got roughly double the tensile strength of viscose (common) rayon.

Lyocell (branded Tencel) is one variant that was specifically designed to be pollution-free amongst other qualities, eliminating some serious environmental concerns with the chemical production process of early rayons.