Linen–Lyocell Fabric for Table Linens: B2B Guide to Drape, Width, Fibre Disclosure & Care

Answer first: A linen–lyocell blend can be a useful table-linen option when a buyer wants a visibly textured woven surface with controlled drape, but the fibre names alone do not define the finished fabric. Before ordering, confirm the exact fibre percentages, construction, finished usable width, mass per unit area, shrinkage in the intended care cycle and an approved physical sample. For Nantong Oulai FAB-0873, the live product record identifies a linen/lyocell blend and customizable specifications, but it does not publish a universal blend ratio or tested performance grade.

What does the live FAB-0873 product record confirm?

Field	Live product information	Buyer action
Product reference	FAB-0873	Use the reference on the inquiry, sample label and approval sheet.
Material	Linen/lyocell blend; the page also uses “Tencel” wording	Request the generic fibre percentages for the actual order. Do not assume trademark eligibility from descriptive wording.
Applications	Tablecloths, bedding, cushion covers and other home textiles	Build the specification around the selected end use rather than using one approval for every application.
Custom options	Dyeing, printing, colour, width, weight, yarn count and packaging	Freeze each selected option in the quotation and approved sample.
MOQ	100 metres	Confirm whether one colour/specification constitutes the order unit.
Timing	Sampling 7–14 days; bulk lead time confirmed according to specification and order quantity	Do not schedule launch dates from the sampling window alone.

The product page describes breathable, skin-friendly and soft-drape positioning. These are useful design cues, not substitutes for a buyer-defined test protocol or a performance guarantee. Nantong Oulai should be asked to quote against the exact construction and approval route required for the project.

Why must the fibre ratio be confirmed before labelling?

“Linen–lyocell blend” identifies the constituent fibre families, but not their percentages. In the United States, the FTC Textile Fiber Rule generally requires covered textile labels to disclose generic fibre names and percentages by weight, the manufacturer or marketer identity and country of processing or manufacture. In the European Union, Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 governs textile fibre names and related composition labelling. A buyer therefore needs order-specific composition data and the intended sales market before artwork is approved.

Lyocell is a generic fibre name. TENCEL™ is a trademark and should only be used when the relevant branded-fibre documentation and claim permissions apply to the order. The live FAB-0873 description alone does not establish that permission. The same evidence discipline applies to sustainability certifications: no certification, content percentage or transaction certificate is claimed for this product in this guide.

If laboratory composition analysis is required, specify that the laboratory choose an applicable method for the actual fibre mixture. ISO 1833-1:2020 gives general principles for quantitative chemical analysis of fibre mixtures, but a buyer should not assume that one generic method can automatically distinguish every cellulosic component in every finish. Reconcile the test plan with supplier records and the final label claim.

Which table-linen specifications matter more than a “drapey” description?

A tablecloth is judged as a finished shape, not as a loose swatch. Specify the finished table dimensions, desired drop on each side, hem construction and whether the cloth will be cut on grain. The fabric quotation should state full width and usable width; a decorative edge, selvedge or shaded margin may reduce cutting yield.

• Construction: woven structure, yarn description and any visible slub or irregularity standard.
• Finished mass: target GSM and the agreed test method and tolerance.
• Usable width: exclude edges that cannot enter the finished panel.
• Drape approval: approve a full-width hanging sample or sewn prototype, not only a hand-sized swatch.
• Surface standard: define acceptable variation, neps, streaks and shade continuity with photographs or a sealed reference.
• Care cycle: washing, drying, ironing and number of cycles matching the intended consumer or hospitality use.

This application focus is different from Oulai’s earlier linen–viscose–spandex bedding guide, which centres on stretch and bedding construction, and the linen–bamboo home-textile guide, which centres on bamboo-derived fibre disclosure and printing. Here the primary decision is how to engineer a linen–lyocell blend for table-linen drape, panel yield and care.

How should buyers approve colour, print and texture?

Because the product supports custom dyeing and printing, the RFQ should separate colour approval from surface and construction approval. Record the colour standard and viewing conditions; for prints, add artwork version, repeat dimensions, orientation, scale and placement rules. A colour-correct strike-off can still be unsuitable if its drape, usable width or texture differs from bulk production.

Create a dated approval set containing the fabric code, fibre claim under review, construction, width, GSM, colour or print version, finishing route and care condition. Retain one controlled sample for the buyer and one for the supplier. If the finish, yarn source or construction changes, require written reapproval rather than treating the original sample as transferable.

Which care and dimensional tests should be written into the RFQ?

For washable table linens, agree the specimen preparation and marking under ISO 3759:2011, the selected washing and drying procedure under ISO 6330:2021, and dimensional-change calculation under ISO 5077:2007. State the number of cycles, detergent, drying route and ironing or finishing step that represents the product’s care instructions. Record lengthwise and widthwise change separately.

Do not copy an arbitrary shrinkage limit from another tablecloth. Convert the agreed result into a finished-size allowance and recheck the sewn article, because hems, seams and panel joins can change the outcome. If colour transfer is a risk, add a market-appropriate wash and rubbing colour-fastness plan. Test methods do not create universal pass grades; the purchase specification must state the acceptance criteria.

What should a buyer include in the FAB-0873 RFQ?

1. Product reference FAB-0873 and the exact finished application.
2. Required generic fibre names and percentages, plus supporting documents for the order.
3. Construction, yarn details, finished GSM and usable width with tolerances.
4. Table dimensions, drop, panel plan, hem and seam requirements.
5. Colour or print standard, repeat, orientation and approval route.
6. Approved hand, texture and drape sample with version control.
7. Care cycle, dimensional-change method and agreed acceptance limits.
8. Quantity by colour/specification, packaging and destination.
9. Clarification of the 100-metre MOQ allocation and a project-specific bulk schedule.
10. Required labelling market and final artwork responsibility.

Frequently asked questions

Is FAB-0873 a fixed-percentage linen–lyocell blend?

The live page identifies the blend but does not publish a universal ratio. Request percentages for the quoted construction and do not finalize a composition label until they are supported.

Can the product automatically be marketed as TENCEL™?

No. Lyocell is the generic fibre name; TENCEL™ is a trademark. Use branded wording only when the specific supply chain and claim permission are documented.

Does “breathable” prove a measured air-permeability result?

No. It is product positioning unless a test report identifies the sample, method and result. For help selecting comfort-related methods, see Oulai’s air permeability, thermal and water-vapour resistance guide.

Is a small swatch enough for tablecloth approval?

Usually not. A full-width hanging sample or sewn prototype better reveals drape, directional texture, panel joins and finished drop.

Authoritative Sources

• US Federal Trade Commission — Textile Fiber Rule, 16 CFR Part 303
• EUR-Lex — Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 on textile fibre names and composition labelling
• ISO 1833-1:2020 — Textiles — Quantitative chemical analysis — Part 1: General principles of testing
• ISO 3759:2011 — Preparation, marking and measuring for dimensional-change tests
• ISO 6330:2021 — Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing
• ISO 5077:2007 — Determination of dimensional change in washing and drying