Imitation tencel is a term Chinese mills use for a 100% cotton poplin that has been finished to feel like lyocell — cool to the touch, dry rather than slick, and fluid enough to fall in soft folds. There is no lyocell and no viscose in the cloth. What you get is the handfeel without the cellulosic price, on a fibre that machine-washes and does not pill the way tencel blends can.
The base cloth is a fine poplin: a plain weave with a tight, even sett that gives the surface its smooth matte face and its slight crispness on the bolt. At 100–140 GSM and 146 cm it sits squarely in shirt and dress weight — heavy enough to hold a collar and a placket, light enough to gather at a cuff and drape at a hem without lining.
Specification
What You Are Actually Ordering
Article
M60201
Composition
100% Cotton
Weave
Poplin (plain weave)
Weight
100–140 GSM
Width
146 cm
Colours in stock
154 shades on the M60201 shade card
MOQ
300 m per colour
Lead time
15 days after colour confirmation
Price
FOB USD 1.75–1.98 per metre
Shrinkage
Pre-shrunk; residual under 3%
Testing
AQL 2.5; OEKO-TEX through our partner dyehouses
Shade card
154 Colours, Already Dyed
The M60201 shade card runs from 1 to 154. Everything on it is a stock shade — no dye lot wait, no minimum pattern run. The four cards below are photographed from the physical shade card, so what you see is the actual dyed cloth rather than a screen rendering. Each card is shown full width so the shade numbers stay legible — click any card to enlarge it. The physical shade card and cuttings are available on request if you want to see the cloth itself.
Shades 1–38 — neutrals, ivories, khakis and greysShades 39–77 — rust, wine, violet and blueShades 78–115 — blue, navy and yellow-greenShades 116–154 — olive, teal and deep earth tones
Full card, overviewFull card, detailFull card, colour spread
Ten stock shades laid up on the table — this is the actual cloth, not a render
Made up
How It Sews and Wears
Sampled as a relaxed shirt: stand collar with soft gathers, a half-zip front placket, gathered shoulder heads and a wide folded cuff. That is a demanding set of details for a lightweight cotton — it needs a cloth that presses crisply at the collar and still gathers without bulk. The renders below are made up in ivory and navy to show how the same base cloth reads at both ends of the shade range.
Ivory — stand collar, half-zip placket, gathered shoulderCollar, placket and cuff — the plain weave face holds a pressNavy — the same cloth at the deep end of the shade card
End use
Where This Cloth Earns Its Place
Shirting
Shirt weight at 100–140 GSM. Holds a collar stand, takes a placket and a cuff fold, presses flat. 154 stock shades means a shirting range without a dye programme.
Dresses and blouses
Drapes without lining at 146 cm — a full skirt or a gathered bodice comes out of a single width. The dry handfeel keeps it from clinging.
Loungewear and sleepwear
100% cotton, breathable, no elastane to degrade. Machine wash cold and it keeps its face.
Kidswear
No cellulosic fibre, no elastane, pre-shrunk under 3%. A plain cotton base that takes repeated washing.
Scarves and accessories
Fine enough to roll a hem, opaque enough to wear alone. The imitation-tencel finish gives it a softer edge than standard poplin.
Uniforms and workwear
Solid dyed to a stock shade, so repeat orders match without a new dye lot. AQL 2.5 inspection on every bulk.
Questions buyers actually ask
Poplin Imitation Tencel FAQ
Is imitation tencel actually tencel?
No. It is a trade term for a 100% cotton poplin finished to feel like lyocell — cool, dry and fluid. There is no lyocell or viscose in the fabric. You get the handfeel without the cellulosic price, and it machine-washes without the pilling that tencel blends can develop.
What is the difference from your printed cotton poplin?
Same base cloth, different route. This page is solid dyed: 154 shades already in stock, no print setup, no minimum pattern run. Our printed poplin is printed to your artwork, which needs a screen or digital setup and a longer lead.
How much does 100% cotton poplin cost per metre from a Chinese mill?
For this quality — 100 to 140 GSM, 146 cm, solid dyed to a stock shade — FOB is USD 1.75 to 1.98 per metre at 300 metres per colour. The exact figure moves with shade depth, packing and order quantity. Deeper reactive shades and special finishing sit at the top of that band; light shades at volume sit at the bottom.
Does it shrink, and how should it be washed?
Pre-shrunk at the mill, so residual shrinkage after the first wash is normally under 3%. Machine wash cold, tumble low or line dry, press while slightly damp. It is 100% cotton with no elastane, so it will not recover stretch — cut for the silhouette rather than for stretch.
Can you match a Pantone or lab-dip colour?
Yes. Send a Pantone reference, a physical swatch or a lab-dip target and we dye against it in about 7 days. Once you approve the dip, bulk runs in 15 days. Minimum for a custom shade is 300 metres, the same as a stock shade.
What certifications apply?
Testing is to AQL 2.5 on every bulk. OEKO-TEX certification is held through our partner dyehouses rather than in our own name, and we can supply the relevant test reports with the shipment. We do not claim certifications we do not hold.
Want the Physical Shade Card?
Swatch cards ship free, freight collect. Tell us the shades you are working to and we will cut a card to match, or send the full 154-colour card for range building.
