Natural viscose. What is the fabric and why is it good

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The chemical industry produces many kinds of polymers. One of them, called cellulose, is obtained during the chemical reaction of wood fiber with acidic or alkaline reagents and subsequent heat treatment. The result of the process are fibers suitable for yarn filaments. The material woven from them is called rayon.

Industrial production of cellulose began before its exact chemical formula was determined. Cellophane - a transparent polymeric paper for packaging - was invented in France in the 19th century. In the USSR, technologies using the properties of cellulose developed rapidly in the thirties.

Everyone knows that the fabrics used for tailoring are synthetic and natural. Today, naturalness is highly valued, but it was not always so. The consumer properties of cotton, linen or wool are much higher than those of nylon or polyester, although at the time of the appearance of synthetics, it caused a real boom, thanks to outlandish qualities unusual for the consumer of the forties and fifties: extraordinary brightness and durability of colors, the ability not towrinkle, ease of washing and quick drying. However, soon people figured out that they still feel more pleasant in natural things. The main criteria that determine the comfort of clothing are its hygroscopicity and the ability to pass air, that is, ventilation.

And so, the buyer picks up the shirt he likes and reads on the tag: one hundred percent viscose. "What's the fabric?" he thinks. As the name suggests, it's not quite natural. Maybe it's synthetic? No, this fabric has nothing to do with fibers obtained from petroleum products. And the price, as a rule, is not at all small - polyester things are usually cheaper. But it’s not cotton or silk, but something in between to the touch…

Such reasoning is quite logical. Viscose is an artificial material, but not synthetic. It is made from fibrous fiber and retains its beneficial properties, which cause comfort to wear. It perfectly absorbs moisture and provides air microcirculation, which is so necessary for nourishing the skin's pores with oxygen.

It is also pleasant to the touch, thanks to its silkiness, natural viscose pleasantly cools on hot days. And the price, well, that is due to the difficult manufacturing technology. So, in general, a good material is viscose. What kind of fabric, and how does it last in terms of durability? Unfortunately, it is more critical to washing conditions and less resistant to wear than the same cotton. But this flaw is fully compensated by her beauty. Women's underwear made from viscose looks likeno less impressive than a silk robe, and men's Hawaiian shirts are just a feast for the eyes. It is best to wash such things by hand, and if you use an automatic washing machine, then you should choose the most gentle mode, otherwise the edges of the fabric may suffer, and it will begin to “crumble”.

In the production of textile materials, it is not uncommon to combine various components: natural, synthetic and artificial fibers. Viscose is no exception. What kind of fabric do you get when you mix it with cotton? Very solid, combining the aesthetic and tactile qualities of both materials. It will be more resistant due to the presence of cotton's natural antioxidants in its composition and at the same time silky, with a slight sheen and tints.

As a rule, the consumer is also interested in how well viscose holds paint. What kind of fabric is this, which at the same time has such a bright color and does not shed? Maybe it's still synthetic? No, it's not about some malicious components, but again about technology. The dye is introduced into the thread already at the stage of its formation, therefore it is part of the molecular structure of the fabric, and the usual natural material is first woven and then dyed.

The material is natural, although artificially formed, is, of course, viscose. What kind of fabric and what are its properties, you probably already understood. The fibers that make it up have a natural cellular structure, so you should not be afraid that light clothing made from this material will create a greenhouse effect and cause any kind of discomfort.