The modified cellulose can now be dissolved, forming an orangish brownish liquid. The wood pulp has to be dissolved first and as cellulose doesn’t dissolve in water, it needs to be modified before the process kicks off. Some viscose fabric manufacturers only use the wood pulp that is from sustainably managed plantations, so only pulp with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) is used. The tree or plant is chipped down into wood pulp, ready to be dissolved into chemicals like sodium hydroxide. The main point is that viscose comes from regenerative trees such as pine, beech, eucalyptus or plants like soy and sugar cane. Now, let’s get more into the science of it. By 1905, the first commercial viscose fabric was safe to be on the market.
This is when British scientists Charles Frederick Cross and Edward John Bevan discovered and improved the viscose fibre production process. As you might have guessed, viscose is part of rayon fabrics.Ī bit of a history lesson - we gotta rewind more than 100 years ago! It is believed that industrialist Hilaire de Chardonnet invented the first commercial viscose fibre in 1883 as a cheaper alternative to silk! However, it was so flammable, it had to be taken off the market until 1892. To put it in simpler words, rayon fabrics come from natural fibres, but they go through intense chemical processes, making them manufactured fabrics. But of course, it can't be all black and white so some textiles fall in the middle, called rayon. When talking about fabrics, everyone knows there are two categories: natural fabrics (cotton, flax, bamboo, etc.) and synthetic (polyester, acrylic, spandex, etc). We’ll talk about the properties of this fabric and the ultimate question, is it worth buying viscose products?īefore we get into the origins of viscose, we first gotta understand what rayon fabrics are. We will be discussing how viscose is produced and whether clothing made from this fabric is what we’d consider eco clothing or sustainable. Of course, you know us, we will be discussing both pros and cons. This week we will introduce to you the wonders and miracles of viscose.
Welcome to the Fabric of the week show! We are super excited you want to be part of our crazy sustainability journey.
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