Fabric 101: Viscose
Viscose is the most common type of rayon fabric. It’s common enough at this point, that it’s more or less just used as another name for rayon. It’s a type of semi-synthetic fabric since it uses natural wood pulp that is then chemically treated to create the fibers that can be used in fabric manufacturing.
While viscose fibers can be used to create just about any kind of fabric, it’s most often used to make lightweight and flowy materials. It was originally created to be an alternative for silky type fabrics but is not more commonly used as a more flowy substitute for cotton fabrics.
| Fabric | Viscose |
| Texture? | Mostly smooth and soft. |
| Stretch? | Stretch depends on the type of fabric, knit viscose fabrics will typically have a good amount of stretch, while woven viscose will only have a small amount of give. |
| Heavy or light? | Generally fairly lightweight, but it depends on the type of fabric |
| Stiff or flowy drape? | Fairly flowy drape |
| Nap? | Usually no nap |
| Opaque or sheer? | Usually opaque or semi-sheer |
| Shiny? | Viscose can be used in shiny fabrics |
| Fraying? | Usually frays fairly easily |
| Pilling or snagging? | Viscose materials are often prone to pilling or snagging |
| Other identifying properties? | Viscose is known to wrinkle quite easily, and it has moisture-absorbing qualities |
| Cool or warm weather? | Generally better for warmer weather |
| What to make? | You can make just about anything with viscose, but especially flowy garments, like dresses, skirts, and blouses |
| What needle to use? | Usually, a universal needle will work, sometimes you may want to switch to an extra microtex needle |
What kind of fabric is viscose?
Viscose is a type of fiber not a specific type of material. These fibers can be used in just about any type of fabric (including jersey, satin, twill, etc.), though it’s most often used to mimic cotton with a more fluid drape.
The process of making viscose fabric involves dissolving the plant fibers in chemicals and then extracting them into threads. Viscose is the most common type of rayon material.
Viscose is quite soft to the touch (similar to cotton fabric) making it comfortable to wear. Unlike cotton, viscose is also known for its excellent draping qualities, meaning it is a flowy material that creates flattering silhouettes.
What can you make with viscose fabric?
Viscose can be used for almost any type of garment. It’s particularly great for making flowy dresses, skirts, and blouses. But I also used some rayon twill to make some of the most comfortable pants I’ve ever owned. Viscose can be used for suiting, elegant eveningwear, and cozy pajamas, and in my opinion, it makes all of these so much more comfortable.
Properties of viscose fabric
- Texture: Viscose feels like a fancy version of cotton. When you touch it, it is cool and soft, making it extremely comfortable to wear.
- Weight: The weight of viscose fabrics will vary depending on the weave and structure. Most of the time it’s used for more light to medium-weight and lightweight materials. However it can also be used for bottom-weight materials like viscose twill.
- Drape: For the most part, this means viscose fabric has a naturally flowy and drapey quality. Any type of fabric made from viscose will have a more flowy drape than the same type made from polyester or cotton.
- Shine: Viscose can be a shiny fabric if it’s used in satin or a type of fabric with a distinct sheen. However, most viscose fabric is pretty much matte.
- Fraying: Viscose frays fairly easily. It’s usually not the disintegrate-in-your-hands kind of fraying (except for a viscose voile that I used once, that was a nightmare!), but it will still have a significant amount of fraying, and you’ll need to make sure you finish your seams properly.
- Wrinkling: Viscose fabric has a tendency to wrinkle easily.
- Breathability: Viscose has excellent breathability and moisture absorption properties, allowing it to keep you cool and comfortable in hot and humid conditions.
How easy is it to sew with viscose fabric?
Viscose fabric is moderately easy to sew with. The flowy drape and smooth nature of viscose can make it slightly slippery to work with, which may be difficult for beginners, but it’s an attainable challenge if you’re trying to learn how to use different types of fabric. When learning to sew, my 5th sewing project was a flowy viscose shirt, and I still wear that blouse today, so even beginners can handle this material.
How to care for viscose fabric
Viscose fabric is somewhat delicate compared to cotton and polyester. It’s more likely to snag and shrink during washing. For that reason, some people recommend only hand washing rayon clothing, but I haven’t found that to be necessary.
For standard viscose fabric made of a sturdy weave (medium weight with a plain weave or twill weave), it’s generally okay to wash viscose on a normal washing machine setting (just avoid hot water because viscose shrinks). If you have a more lightweight or delicate type of viscose, you’ll want to use the delicate settings when washing.
Since viscose can shrink in high heat, you may want to let it air dry. But you can also use low heat settings on your machine dryer. It’s extremely helpful to pre-wash your fabric before you sew with it since this will pre-shrink it and limit the amount of shrinking it will do in the wash later. Make sure to pre-wash it on whatever settings you intend to use when laundering the garments later.
How to iron or press viscose
Viscose can not typically stand up to high temperatures the way cotton can. However, it’s not as sensitive as polyester (which will melt if your iron gets too hot). It’s best to keep viscose in the low to mid-heat range when you are pressing or ironing the fabric.
Viscose also responds really well to steam. I tested my new handheld steamer on some viscose shirts, and the wrinkles relaxed almost immediately. It was much faster than trying to iron the material, so if you don’t have a steamer in your arsenal yet, I recommend getting one.
Is viscose a sustainable fabric?
Viscose is a type of fiber that has a lot of potential to make sustainable fabric. But as it currently stands, the production of most viscose is unsustainable and harmful to workers and surrounding communities.
Conventionally, the production of viscose involves harsh chemicals and processes that can have huge negative impacts on the environment, such as deforestation and pollution. The concern arises when the wood pulp used for viscose production comes from rainforest regions that are cleared without proper management or replanting efforts. Improper logging practices can lead to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, habitat destruction, and other environmental impacts associated with the loss of rainforests.
In addition, the chemicals used in viscose production, such as carbon disulfide, are hazardous if workers are exposed to them without adequate protection and ventilation. Prolonged exposure to these chemicals without appropriate protective measures can lead to skin irritation, respiratory issues, eye damage, and potentially more serious neurological health conditions. These same chemicals are also dumped into the waterways of nearby communities, causing long-term health problems for people living there.
However, sustainable methods are being developed in the production of viscose to minimize these environmental impacts. One such method is known as “closed-loop” or “regenerated” production, which involves recycling the chemicals used in the process. Less harmful chemicals are also being developed to make the process safer for workers.
You can also look for certifications like FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or ECOVERO to ensure that the viscose fabric you are purchasing has been produced using sustainable forestry practices.
