Tencel is a cellulosic fabric obtained from wood pulp that is very similar to natural cotton. For its potential performances to be expanded, Tencel needs to be processed in different ways. The ability of cyclodextrins to include hydrophobic molecules, such as fragrances, antimicrobial agents, and other chemicals, can be exploited to produce new grafted textiles with peculiar performances. We report studies on the grafting of acrylamidomethylated beta-cyclodextrin and monochlorotriazinyl-beta-cyclodextrin to Tencel and on the inclusion of different molecules in the free cavities of cyclodextrins. The physicochemical properties and performances of the untreated and treated fabric have been determined with differential scanning calorimetry, ultraviolet-visible spectra, X-ray diffractometry, and breaking load loss, aroma, and antimicrobial finishing tests. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.