Viscose
Also known as: Rayon, CV, Artificial silk (historical)
First regenerated cellulose fibre, made from wood — soft, lustrous and absorbent like silk or cotton.
Description
Viscose is the oldest and most widespread regenerated cellulose fibre, patented in 1892 via the viscose process. The raw material is wood (mainly beech, eucalyptus, pine or bamboo), whose cellulose is dissolved in sodium hydroxide and carbon disulphide, spun and regenerated in a precipitation bath.
The fibre is soft, smooth, highly absorbent, pleasantly cool and can be dyed intensely. Chemically viscose behaves like cotton, visually often like silk. It dominates in light blouses, dresses, linings and blends. Compared to modal and lyocell, classic viscose has lower wet strength and creases more easily.
- Regenerated cellulose from wood
- Soft, silky drape, highly absorbent
- Intense dyeability
- Sensitive to moisture (low wet strength)
Ecologically the classic viscose process is critical due to carbon disulphide emissions — modern closed-loop systems (e.g. Lenzing EcoVero™) significantly improve the footprint.
Properties
| Fibre type | Regenerated cellulose |
|---|---|
| Raw material | Wood (beech, eucalyptus, pine) |
| Hand | silky-smooth |
| Typical use | Blouses, dresses, linings |
Related product categories
Sources & references
3- Wikipedia: Viskose Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viskosefaser
- Lenzing EcoVero ecovero.com https://www.ecovero.com/
- OEKO-TEX OEKO-TEX Association https://www.oeko-tex.com/
