What is Viscose Fabric - Uses, Types

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Here is everything you have to know about what is viscose fabric. Silk fabric has long been preferred for the way it accentuates the body and shimmers in the light. However, its high demand and intensive production methods mean it is very expensive. In an attempt to overcome this, manufacturers have developed a semi-synthetic fabric as a silk alternative - viscose fabric.

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Contents

What is Viscose Fabric?What is Viscose Fabric - CharacteristicsAdvantagesDisadvantagesWhat is Viscose fabric – Historical BackgroundWhat is Viscose Fabric – How is it Made?What is Viscose Fabric – What Sets it Apart from PolyesterWhat is Viscose Fabric – Environmental SustainabilityWhat is Viscose Fabric – Fabric CareWhat is Viscose Fabric – In Conclusion

What is Viscose Fabric?

Viscose fabric was developed in the late 1800s, and since then, this lightweight and soft fabric has been used for home decor and in apparel. It is a less expensive yet versatile fabric initially made to be used as an alternative for silk. This fabric has been used for various purposes, such as the production of clothing like dresses and blouses and materials for the home like upholstery and carpets.

Viscose is neither purely synthetic nor natural. It is mainly made out of cellulose, which is a component of trees. They are then made to undergo various chemical transformations to produce viscose fabric. Cellulose is what was used to create plastics in the early times. The name ‘viscose’ was derived from the wood pulp solution that was turned to the said type of semi-synthetic rayon fabric.

What is Viscose Fabric - Characteristics

Because viscose fabric is made as a silk alternative, silk has similar characteristics to viscose fabric. Both provide an elegant fabric drape and finish and are soft to the skin. However, unlike silk, viscose fabric is relatively inexpensive and is best paired with polyester, cotton, and spandex.

Advantages

Here are the advantages of viscose fabric:

Lightweight - Viscose fabric is lightweight and drapes over the body nicely, making it great for clothing.Soft - Viscose fabric is made to look like silk. However, it feels more like cotton on the skin rather than silk.Breathable - It is a light fabric that drapes over the skin rather than fitting tight on the body. This makes it easy to breathe in and suitable for warm weather or climates.Highly absorbent - Rather than trap heat, viscose fabric absorbs water and sweat effectively. Hence, making it a great material for sportswear as well.Easy to dye - Viscose fabric is easy to dye, and its color does not fade even after multiple washes and years of use.

Disadvantages

Just like any other fabric, viscose fabric has its own set of disadvantages, including:

Non-elastic - Viscose fabric maintains its shape and is non-elastic. However, to add stretch, it may be blended with spandex or other similar textiles.Shrinks and wrinkles easily - Unfortunately, after several washes, products made with viscose fabric eventually shrink. It also wrinkles easily if not carefully used and maintained.Deteriorates under the heat of the sun - The quality of viscose fabric also deters after long exposures to sunlight. Hence, it is best to be used in close off areas away from the sun.Dissolves with dry cleaning fluid - You cannot use dry cleaning fluid with viscose fabric. Otherwise, it will end up completely destroying the fabric.

What is Viscose fabric – Historical Background

Viscose fabric was created after the first artificial silk was taken off the market for being highly flammable. The first was called Chardonnet silk and was invented by Hilaire de Chardonnet. It was made out of celluloid.

In 1892, Charles Cross and Edward Bevan were able to develop viscose. They treated cellulose with carbon bisulfite and caustic soda, resulting in a thick liquid with high viscosity, hence its name ‘viscose.’ However, they failed to make a fiber out of it.

Charles Topham took a massive interest in this. So in 1899, he bought the rights to be the one to make fibers from viscose. He struggled as expected, and so he decided to invent the machine specifically for the job – the Topham Box. This machine spun at 3000 RPM and was able to create 12000 pounds of perfect fibers of viscose per day. The Topham Box was able to give way to what is viscose fabric today.

What is Viscose Fabric – How is it Made?

In the early years, the sources of cellulose – which is the main element for viscose – were vast. It can be derived from bamboo, seaweed, and wood pulp like beech, eucalyptus, and pine. Because the process involves many chemicals, viscose is considered semi-synthetic.

What is the viscose fabric production process? Here are the steps:

The plant source is chipped into wood pulp before dissolved using caustic soda or sodium hydroxide, resulting in a brown solution. This brown solution is then washed and bleached.After bleaching, manufacturers treat it with carbon disulfide and more caustic soda, resulting in a highly viscous solution that is known as viscose.Viscose is then spun into a spinneret under a solution of diluted sodium sulfate, sulfuric acid, and zinc sulfate. This process produces almost pure cellulose fibers, which are referred to as regenerated cellulose.The regenerated cellulose is then made into yarn which can be used for knitting or weaving viscose rayon fabric.

What is Viscose Fabric – What Sets it Apart from Polyester

What is viscose fabric as compared to polyester? Now a lot of people say that polyester and viscose fabric are highly similar. Hence, if you’re considering either one for a certain project, then it would be good to know what sets the two apart:

In terms of production, what makes the two similar is that both are made with long fibers. However, unlike synthetic fiber polyester, viscose fabric is semi-synthetic, which means that it uses natural fibers that undergo extensive chemical processes. Furthermore, viscose fabric is made out of plants, unlike polyester, which is made from oil.

As a fabric, viscose fabric is more absorbent and is better suited for athletic wear. However, in terms of durability, polyester outweighs viscose fabric as it is stronger, dries faster, does not shrink, resists abrasion, and does not wrinkle as easily as viscose fabric does. However, in terms of luxury and appeal, viscose fabric is better as it drapes around the body nicely and is specifically made to look like silk.

What is Viscose Fabric – Environmental Sustainability

Now, suppose you’re an environmentally sensitive person and are looking for a sustainable fabric to use. In that case, unfortunately, viscose fabric is not for you. This is because the production process for this type of fabric causes a series of negative retributions to the environment. Although viscose is still biodegradable and made with renewable sources, it still has a threatening impact on the environment.

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