Viscose is among the most well-known raw materials used in textiles. It's as soft and comfortable as silk but more straightforward and cheaper, is particularly gentle to the skin, and regulates temperature—a fabric designed for outdoor clothing and sportswear. You can learn more about artificial silk's properties, synthetic silk, and why it isn't right to label conventional Viscose as sustainable even though it is biodegradable.
Sustainable materials that can be used to achieve an eco-friendly design
Are you looking to live more eco-friendly and reduce your carbon footprint, not just through better eating habits and less consumption? The right clothes will assist you in achieving that goal! In the article series "7 things you need to Know about Materials," we provide all the necessary details about the materials used in clothing and their sustainability. This will allow you to increase awareness about sustainable clothing and that it is good for the environment.
What exactly is Viscose?
Viscose is a chemically manufactured fiber that is made from natural cellulose. Viscose can also be referred to in the fashion industry as "rayon" and is used in fashion as artificial silk. Viscose is a flexible fabric that can create many different clothes, such as blouses, dresses, and skirts.
Viscose fabric is renowned for its suppleness, breathability, and drape. It is also dyeable easily and is commonly used to replace organic silk and cotton. It offers comfort when worn and adds a lustrous look to clothes. However, it's essential to remember that Viscose will shrink and shrink if it is not taken care of in a timely manner and is not as strong as other textiles.
Seven things you must be aware of about viscose fabric
Viscose is a semi-synthetic material.
Viscose fabric is simple to clean and versatile.
Viscose absorbs moisture
Viscose fabric is more skin-friendly than synthetic fibers.
Viscose is biodegradable
Conventional Viscose isn't sustainable.
"Lyocell" or "Tencel" suggests a more sustainable production process derived from Eucalyptus
Viscose is a semi-synthetic material.
Viscose is a product of cellulose, which is a natural substance found in wood. It is derived from beech or spruce, eucalyptus, or bamboo through a chemical process followed by pressing into fibers under high pressure. This is why we refer to it as a semi-synthetic raw material. Viscose is not a pure natural fiber like silk, cotton, or silk, nor a synthetic fiber like polyester.
This is why synthetic silk viscose can be so easy to take care of and flexible.
Making Viscose alters the cellulose fibers' length, strength, and stability. This flexibility makes it highly versatile and a perfect partner for mixed fabrics. It also makes it easier to maintain than pure natural fibers. It is also easier to clean, rarely requires ironing, and does not wash off as fast.
Viscose absorbs moisture
Because it is derived from the natural raw material cellulose, it shares similar climate-regulating properties as the natural fibers wool or cotton. It is highly absorbent and can absorb as much as 40% of its weight in water. However, the fabric doesn't seem wet, but it does have cooling properties. It has a distinct advantage over natural fibers in that Viscose drys exceptionally quickly and is a popular choice for clothing, travel towels, vegan sneakers, or outdoor fabrics.
The fibers of cellulose are more skin-friendly than synthetic fibers.
The use of petroleum is not utilized in making Viscose, and most cellulose cultivation is free of pesticides. The positive impact on the skin-to-skin compatibility of the fibers. Pure Viscose is free of toxic substances and is perfect for people with allergies.
Viscose is biodegradable
The cellulose-based renewable raw material is used to make the creation of Viscose. It is present in many woods and remains biodegradable in its original form following the viscose procedure. This means that it performs better for the environment than entirely synthetic materials.
Also Read The Difference between Polyester and Rayon
But, the traditional viscose method could be more sustainable.
The process of making Viscose is very energy-intensive. Additionally, massive transformation processes of chemicals are required to produce cellulose. As liquid or toxic fumes, these chemicals cause massive pollution in factories. The effects aren't just harmful to the environment but can also, in the long run, they can harm the health of the people who live and work in or around factories.
How do you identify a more durable Viscose that is sustainable
When purchasing Viscose, there are various things to think about: The raw material used as the base, the production process, and finally, the processing. For the type of Viscose, "Modal," for example, the cellulose is mainly sourced from sustainable forest products. The names "Lyocell" or "Tencel" suggest a more eco-friendly production process from eucalyptus in which no wastewater contains harmful substances released into the environment. Also, it is produced without chemical additives. are "Lenpur" viscose. Its unique feature is that no single tree is cut down to make this product since the cellulose comes only from p.