Cupro / cuprammonium rayon (detail)
Also known as: Bemberg silk, Cuprammonium rayon, Ammonia silk
Regenerated cellulose fibre made from cotton linters dissolved in Schweizer's reagent (cuprammonium hydroxide) — sold as silky lining under the Bemberg brand.
Description
Cupro is produced by dissolving short cotton fibres (linters) — a by-product of cottonseed oil extraction — in an aqueous solution of copper(II) hydroxide and ammonia known as Schweizer's reagent [Cu(NH3)4](OH)2. The viscous spinning solution is extruded through fine spinnerets into a sulphuric acid bath, where the cellulose regenerates as endless filaments and the copper is recovered. Cupro therefore belongs to the regenerated cellulose fibres (semi-synthetic) alongside viscose and modal.
The filaments are extremely fine (typically 1.4–3.3 dtex), round and smooth — giving the fibre its silky hand, high lustre, excellent drape and pleasant coolness on the skin. Today essentially only Japanese producer Asahi Kasei still makes the fibre, marketed as Bemberg, after the German J. P. Bemberg plants closed. Its main use is high-quality suit linings, summer dresses, blouses and anti-static petticoats — cupro is biodegradable and considered a sustainable alternative to polyester lining.
- Feedstock: cotton linters, by-product of cottonseed oil extraction
- Solvent: Schweizer's reagent (copper(II) tetraammine hydroxide)
- Titer range: 1.4–3.3 dtex, extremely fine filaments
- Global producer: essentially only Asahi Kasei (Bemberg brand)
Properties
| Fibre class | Regenerated cellulose (semi-synthetic) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | Cotton linters (cottonseed oil by-product) |
| Hand feel | Very silky, smooth, cool, high lustre |
| Main use | Suit linings, summer dresses, blouses, petticoats |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Cupro Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupro
- Asahi Kasei Bemberg asahi-kasei.co.jp https://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/fibers/en/bemberg/
