TENCEL vs Cotton vs Bamboo: Your Menopause Comfort Guide Lyvora

TENCEL™ vs Cotton vs Bamboo:
Which Fabric Feels Best in Midlife?

Midlife can often make getting dressed feel like a guessing game.

Hot flushes, sensitive skin, and body changes all demand more from your clothes – especially in Australia’s warm, humid climate.

The right outfit can help you stay cool, confident, and composed. The wrong one leaves you overheated, uncomfortable, or wishing you could go home and change.

With work, family, and everything in between, you need clothing that looks good, feels effortless, and adapts to whatever the day brings.

That’s where fabric choice really matters.
In this guide, we compare TENCEL™ Modal, cotton, and bamboo, to help you choose clothing that truly feels best for your body and lifestyle.

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TENCEL™ vs Cotton vs Bamboo: Our Verdict

Fabric Comparison

Which Fabric is Best for Midlife?

Fabric	Breathability	Softness	Moisture Management	Sustainability & Skin Health	Verdict
Cotton	✓	✓	△	△	Soft and familiar, but not ideal for intense sweating or humid days. Can feel heavy when damp and often treated with harsh dyes or finishes. Choose certified organic where possible.
Bamboo (Viscose/Rayon)	✓✓	✓✓	✓✓	△	Smooth and cool on the skin, but loses natural freshness (antibacterial) during chemical processing. Sustainability and skin safety depend heavily on proper certification.
TENCEL™ Modal Best Overall	✓✓✓	✓✓✓	✓✓✓	✓✓✓	Best overall: Luxuriously soft, naturally cooling and light as air. Superior moisture and odour control that supports you through heat, humidity, and change. Certified skin-safe and sustainable.

△ = Avoid/ Limited performance ✓ = Good ✓✓ = Very good ✓✓✓ = Excellent

What to Wear During
the Menopause

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Why Fabric Choice Matters More in Midlife

Temperature Changes (Hot Flushes, Night Sweats)

Hot flushes never wait for the right moment. One minute you’re presenting at work or running errands, the next a wave of heat rushes through you. Your face flushes, your skin crawls, and your clothes suddenly feel clammy and stifling.

It’s uncomfortable, distracting, and can leave you wanting to disappear for a moment.

You’re far from alone. According to Jean Hailes, around 80% of women experience hot flushes or night sweats during menopause. The Medical Journal of Australia notes that:

74% of post-menopausal women under 55 experience these symptoms.
28% rate them as moderate to severe.
42% of women aged 60–64 still experience them.

Plus during a flush, the wrong fabric can make everything feel worse.

Synthetic fibres and tight stiff weaves trap heat and moisture, leaving skin clammy and uncomfortable. Even natural fibres like cotton can become heavy and damp, offering little relief – especially in Australia’s hot, humid weather.

Skin Sensitivity

Many women notice their skin changing in midlife – becoming drier, more reactive, or more easily irritated.

In fact, research shows that around 64% of women attending menopause clinics report new or worsening skin concerns such as eczema.

Many women notice their skin changing in midlife – becoming drier, more reactive, or more easily irritated.

In fact, research shows that around 64% of women attending menopause clinics report new or worsening skin concerns such as eczema.

What can make skin sensitivity worse:

Rough textures or stiff weaves that rub against delicate skin.
Tight or non-breathable fabrics that trap heat and moisture.
Chemical processing and fabric treatments used to improve things like softness, colour or durability can sometimes leave residues that irritate the skin.

Did you know?

In Australia, the AICIS regulates industrial chemicals used in textiles, while the ACCC oversees product safety and labelling requirements. They set high standards for chemical use and recall products that exceed safe limits.
That said, around 91% of clothing sold in Australia is imported, often from countries with less stringent regulations.
Recent investigations by Greenpeace Germany and South Korean authorities found items from ultra fast-fashion brands Shein and Temu containing chemical residues – formaldehyde, phthalates, PFAS, and heavy metals – hundreds of times above safe limits.
Some of these chemicals can irritate while others are known carcinogens and hormone-disruptors. Studies link higher exposure to PFAS and phthalates with potentially earlier menopause and more intense symptoms.
In the absence of standardised labelling, certifications like OEKO-TEX® help you identify fabrics independently tested and verified free from harmful chemical residues.

Body Changes and Confidence

It can be confronting when your body starts to change in ways you didn’t expect. Clothes that once felt effortless suddenly fit differently.

And yet, most fashion still isn’t designed for this stage of life. Too often, it feels frumpy, clingy, or cut for someone else’s shape. It can quietly chip away at your confidence and leave you feeling invisible.

According to Jean Hailes, weight change is a normal part of menopause:

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“Women often carry weight on their hips and thighs before menopause. However, come menopause, fat storage tends to shift to your waist due to hormonal changes, including a drop in oestrogen.”

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Sadly, more than half of women in midlife report some level of body dissatisfaction. One in ten avoid looking in mirrors altogether.

At the same time, midlife brings a lot to juggle: work, family, ageing parents, and everything in between. When life is this full, it’s no wonder self-care can slip down the list.

Quick Comfort Tip

With the many changes midlife brings, your clothes should support you – not add to your discomfort. Reach for fabrics that:

Breathe easily to keep you fresh and cool.

Drape softly without clinging.

Soothe sensitive skin.

Are certified safe from harsh chemicals.

The Lyvora Breeze Tee in TENCEL™ Modal (MenoSoft™) was designed with

all of this in mind, so you can get dressed once and feel good all day.

DISCOVER YOUR NEW FAVOURITE TEE

Understanding Your Fabric Options: TENCEL™ vs Cotton vs Bamboo

Cotton

Soft, breathable, familiar – but not always your best friend during a hot flush or humid day.

✓ Pros

Naturally soft and breathable: Air can move freely through cotton’s smooth fibres, keeping you cool and comfortable in mild heat.
Widely available: Makes up nearly 20% of the global fibre market and remains Australia’s most preferred fibre.
Supports livelihoods: Provides income for around 24 million growers and 100 million families worldwide – nearly half of them women.
Better options exist: Certified and organic cotton (e.g. the Global Organic Textile Standard) maintains high environmental and ethical standards, avoiding harmful pesticides and treatments.

✘ Cons

Holds moisture: Absorbs up to 27 times its weight in water although can feel damp and clingy during intense sweating or humid days.
Chemical finishes: Often treated with toxic dyes, bleaches, and finishings. For example, residues from azo dyes (for colour) can break down into carcinogenic aromatic amines, while formaldehyde (for wrinkle-resistance) is a known skin irritant.
High environmental impact: Cotton uses a lot of water and pesticides. One T-shirt can need ~2,700 L of water. It also only makes up 2.4% of farmland yet accounts for ~6% of global pesticide use.
Health risks for growers: Intensive pesticide exposure contributes to hundreds of millions of farmworker poisonings globally each year.

Why it matters in midlife:

Great for everyday softness, less so for moisture control. Cotton can feel heavy when you need cool, quick-drying comfort most. When possible, choose certified organic cotton.

Bamboo (Viscose/Rayon)

Smooth and cool to wear – but often not as natural or sustainable as it sounds.

✓ Pros

Light and smooth: Feels soft and cool on the skin, often making it a popular fabric for hot weather.
Breathable and moisture-managing: Fibres with tiny micro-gaps help wick moisture away and allow air to circulate.
Low-impact crop: The bamboo plant grows fast with little water or fertiliser and regenerates naturally.

✘ Cons

Chemically processed: Most “bamboo” fabrics are actually rayon or viscose, made using chemical solvents like carbon disulfide. When poorly managed, these processes can harm workers’ health and pollute local air and waterways.
Loses natural properties: Bamboo’s natural biodegradable and antibacterial benefits are often lost during intense chemical processing.
Habitat loss: Bamboo made without robust safeguards can drive the destruction of ancient and endangered forests.
Greenwashing risk: Misleading claims about “eco” or “antibacterial” properties are common.

Why it matters in midlife:

Lightweight, cool and drapes nicely against the skin. Although once processed, bamboo can lose its natural freshness which isn’t ideal during hot flushes or humid days. Where possible, choose certified sustainable options. Look for CanopyStyle “Green/Dark Green”-rated suppliers or FSC-certified wood.

TENCEL™ Modal (MenoSoft™)

Soft as silk, cool as air – durable and low impact luxury designed for midlife comfort.

✓ Pros

Exceptionally soft: Under a microscope, each fibre is smooth and rounded, helping it glide over the skin instead of rubbing. Proven to be even softer than cotton.
Durable luxury: Holds shape and drape wear after wear while maintaining its signature softness after every wash.
Breathable and fresh: Encourages airflow and helps regulate body temperature, keeping the fabric cool and comfortable. Unlike bamboo viscose, it naturally resists bacteria build-up and feels fresh for longer.
Superior moisture control: Very efficient at drawing sweat away from the skin and letting it evaporate quickly. Modal fibres can absorb 50% more moisture than cotton.
Eco-friendly production: Made from sustainably sourced wood in a resource-efficient process. Less chemically-intensive, recycles waste and uses about 50% less water and carbon than generic modal.
Certified sustainable and skin-friendly: OEKO-TEX®, EU Ecolabel, FSC®, and PEFC® certified for skin safety and responsible sourcing, and minimal impact.

✘ Cons

Higher price point: Pricier than cotton or bamboo, but reflects certified quality, sustainability, and skin-safe standards.
Less widely available: Still a premium fibre, so not as common as conventional fabrics.
Extra care: Prefers a little more care than cotton. A cold wash and line dry to maintain its silky softness and shape. The bonus? It stays fresher for longer, so it doesn’t need washing as often.
Natural pilling: As with many soft natural fibres, may show light pilling over time.

Why it matters in midlife:

Midlife comfort calls for fabric that keeps up. TENCEL™ Modal stays soft, cool, and fresh all day – even through heat, humidity, and changing skin. It flatters, feels luxurious, and never lets you down where comfort matters most.

Softer and more efficient at managing moisture than cotton and fresher and cleaner than bamboo viscose or rayon.

Guarantees certified quality that’s better for your skin and planet.

Buttery-soft TENCEL™ Modal

Naturally breathable, stays fresh all day

Effortless style for work, rest, and weekend

Certified quality you can feel, wear after wear

Independent Lab Insights:
How Our TENCEL™ Modal Fabric Really Performs

At Lyvora, we know midlife comes with change: your body, your rhythm, even how clothes feel on your skin.

So, we put our signature Breeze Tee made from TENCEL™ Modal MenoSoft™ fabric to the test. Partnering with independent lab Intertek, we tested our tee against what matters most: softness, breathability, moisture control, colour durability, and lasting comfort.

Test Results Table

What We Tested

Test Category	Lab Result	What It Means for You
Colour Retention (Wash & Sweat)	Grade 4.5–5 / 5 (Excellent)	Colours stay bold – no fading or sweat stains. Wear your favourite tee again and again without it looking worn.
Moisture Control	Grade 4 / 5 Strong sweat transfer	Pulls moisture away fast, keeping you drier, fresher, and more confident through hot flushes or humid days.
Absorbency	Very high	Quickly draws in moisture so your skin never feels clammy.
Comfort & Softness	Grade 5 (Excellent surface smoothness)	Buttery-soft drape, gentle on sensitive skin. No rubbing, no cling – just effortless comfort.
Pilling Resistance	Grade 3 / 5 (Moderate)	Natural softness means some light pilling over time but with care (use your wash bag), your tee stays smooth and beautiful.

Helpful FAQS: TENCEL™ vs Cotton vs Bamboo

What is menopause clothing?

Menopause clothing, or menopause-friendly clothing, is designed to support your comfort and wellbeing as your body changes.

Our Lyvora Breeze Tee, made from breathable, buttery-soft TENCEL™ Modal (MenoSoft™), helps keep your skin cool, manages moisture, and feels gentle on even the most sensitive skin.

Cut differently from a standard tee, it drapes beautifully, never clings, and adapts effortlessly to your body and busy schedule.

Every Lyvora piece also meets the highest certified standards, so you can feel confident that what touches your skin is designed to protect your wellbeing and the planet.

Can you really trust “cooling fabric” claims?

It’s understandable to feel sceptical. Cooling clothing for menopause often uses synthetic fibres or chemical finishes that can feel plasticky, irritating, and often don’t live up to their promises.

TENCEL™ Modal (MenoSoft™) is an alternative you can trust. Made from pure, plant-based fibres, it doesn’t trap heat or moisture and allows air to flow freely to the skin. This helps keep your body cool, calm, and fresh for longer in those unexpected heated moments. No treatments or coatings required!

Backed by LENZING™’s sustainability credentials and OEKO-TEX® certification, it offers proven comfort and credibility.

Is modal as healthy as cotton?

It depends on how it’s made. Many cotton and standard modal fabrics are treated with chemical dyes or finishes that can cause irritation or disrupt the skin’s natural balance.

TENCEL™ Modal by Lenzing is different. Responsibly sourced from wood and certified by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, every fibre is tested to ensure it’s free from harmful substances and gentle on sensitive or changing skin.

It’s also softer and more effective at managing moisture than cotton, helping reduce irritation and unpleasant odours.

What is the best material to wear for hot flushes?

TENCEL™ Modal is made for those sudden “whoosh” moments – like when a hot flush hits halfway through a meeting. The fabric lets heat escape, pulls moisture off your skin quickly, and won’t cling so you can stay dry, fresh, and comfortable until things settle again.

How does TENCEL™ Modal perform in Australian humidity?

If you’ve ever felt like Australia’s humidity makes hot flushes twice as bad, you’re not imagining it.

Tight, synthetic fibres like polyester trap heat and moisture against the skin, making it hard to stay cool.

This is where TENCEL™ Modal can really help. Its smooth, breathable fibres let air flow and draw moisture away from your body, creating a naturally dry and cooling effect instead of feeling trapped and clammy.

Is TENCEL™ or cotton more breathable?

Both TENCEL™ Modal and cotton are naturally breathable, but they can feel very different when things heat up.

In our independent lab testing, Lyvora’s TENCEL™ Modal MenoSoft™ fabric showed a higher moisture absorption rate of around 11%. When looking at comparative studies, cotton averages about 7%.

This means when sweat builds, cotton is less efficient at managing that moisture. It can start to feel heavier and less breathable during long days, warmer weather, or intense hot flushes.

Is TENCEL™ the same as bamboo?

Both TENCEL™ Modal and bamboo viscose or rayon are made from regenerated cellulose. That said, they come from very different plants and processes.

Bamboo viscose (or rayon) is made from the bamboo plant. But if it isn’t properly regulated (as is often the case) sourcing of bamboo can destroy habitats. The traditional viscose production also involves toxic chemicals that pollute the environment and put workers and nearby communities at risk.

TENCEL™ Modal is made from FSC®-certified birch wood in a low-impact, resource-saving system that recycles water and solvents, and minimises waste and carbon footprint. It’s fully traceable, EU Eco Label and OEKO-TEX® certified, and is considered the gold standard for responsible, sustainable cellulose fibres.

Is modal or bamboo better for sensitive skin?

Both TENCEL™ Modal and bamboo viscose have smooth, breathable fibres that manage moisture well. Both are fabric qualities you should look for if you have sensitive skin.

That said, TENCEL™ Modal is often the better choice overall. The fibres are verified by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 to be free from chemical residues that can irritate the skin. It also retains its natural freshness and antibacterial qualities, which bamboo can lose when it’s processed into viscose or rayon. Studies show that bacteria lingering in fabric can cause allergies and irritation.

Tip: Whatever fabric you choose to wear, choose brands that certify every stage of production (from the fibres to the dyes and finishes) to ensure it’s truly skin-friendly.

Final Thoughts

Midlife brings enough unpredictability – your clothes shouldn’t add to it.

So much may be changing, but how you feel in your clothes is something you can take control of.

Natural fibres like cotton and bamboo are familiar favourites, but they don’t always keep up during long days, warm moments, and everything life asks of you.

And while they may feel “natural”, both often lack the trusted credentials that prove they’re truly kind to your skin and responsibly made from start to finish.

That’s where TENCEL™ Modal (MenoSoft™) can really make a difference:

Softness and comfort that last – always gentle on sensitive skin, wash after wash.
Long-lasting freshness – naturally resistant to odour and bacteria build-up.
Exceptional moisture control – keeps you cool, dry, and confident through heat or humidity.
A soft, breathable texture – feels like a breeze touching your skin.
Effortless elegance – beautifully cut, never clingy, and versatile enough for every part of your day.
Certified quality – LENZING™ backed and EU Eco Label and OEKO-TEX® certified for safety, sustainability, and peace of mind.

This stage of life isn’t about hiding or compromise. It’s about feeling good in your body again – to look in the mirror and see confidence, ease, and comfort reflected back.

Feel the difference: Explore our breathable TENCEL™ Modal essentials

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About the Author

This article was written by Christie Johnson (B.A. Hons, PGCert), a sustainability and wellness writer with a strong focus on conscious fashion, non-toxic materials, and skin-friendly fabrics. Christie brings years of experience translating complex research into clear, practical insights that help people make more informed choices. We chose to work with Christie for her integrity, depth of research, and shared values around health, sustainability, and transparency.