This is a comprehensive article covering a wide range of characteristics of this widely used material. The definition of lyocell, a cellulose fibre obtained using an organic solvent spinning process is given together with explanations of the terms used. Physical properties noted include tensile strength, microscopic appearance, average diameter, and density. It is noted that is the strongest known cellulose fibre even when wet when it is stronger than cotton fibre. Table 2 lists the physical properties of lyocell fibres that are compared with three other fibres. Table 1 shows the manufacturer, country of manufacture and trade names for a variety of commercial fibres. Selected physical properties such as thermal, chemical and physiological properties are briefly noted. The penultimate paragraph discusses relatively new material, tencel denim, an indigo dyed material with better softness than traditional denim made from cotton. Table 3 lists the large variety of personal, home and industrial uses for lyocell.