Modal, what does this eco-friendly fabric offer?

Sustainably grown and produced from the beech tree.  There is so much to learn about this fabric.  We've heard lots about organic cotton and lots about bamboo clothing, but what the heck is "modal"? 

Modal is the newest sibling in the family of eco-friendly fabrics.  Modal is an extremely light fabric and soft to the touch.  Great for babies!

If you would like to know the more scientific aspect of this fabric, I have referenced it here as the information about the process is very interesting:

As stated on the web:

"More eco friendly fibers, organic as well as synthetic, are being used to weave cloth today than ever before. Manufactured from the natural cellulose of beech trees, MODAL is one of the softest, most luxuriously comfortable fibers known.   MODAL fabric is also sustainable. The beech trees are cultivated without chemicals and the pulp and fiber are produced to the highest environmental standards, including the spinning process which uses a non-toxic solvent. No toxic effluent is discharged from the mill and minimal water is used in the production.

Beech trees do not require irrigation or pesticides and are grown on marginal, non-agricultural land. In comparison, cotton has a high demand for both water and pesticides, and is often grown on land in developing countries where people could be growing food instead.

It takes ten kilograms of raw cotton to produce one kilogram of cotton. One kilogram of beech pulp makes almost one kilogram of Modal, so the yield is ten times higher.

Once spun into fabric MODAL feels softer next to the skin than cotton, absorbs 50% more moisture and releases it more quickly, making it more comfortable to wear in any climate.  Modal fabrics resist fading, shrinking and the buildup of hard water mineral deposits even after repeated washing.

Although the process for transforming cellulose into regenerated fabrics is usually chemically intensive, some of these regenerated fabrics, notably Tencel®/lyocell, Modal®, and bamboo, may qualify as eco-friendly. Manufacturers of Tencel®/lyocell and Modal® claim to use a relatively environmentally friendly “closed loop” system for processing wood pulp into fabric in which 99.5% of the chemical solvents are recycled and reused."