Viscose is a manufactured fiber made from natural materials. It’s one of the three types of rayon: modal, lyocell, and viscose. Each is treated differently and made into fabrics with different properties.
“viscose” refers to the viscous organic liquid which is regenerated into fibers for making the fabric.
rayon is derived from cellulose, the main constituent of plant cells. Cellulose is treated with chemicals to make a fiber mimicking the qualities of natural fibers, such as silk and cotton. Viscose fabric often looks like silk and feels like cotton.
Some of the common trees and plants from which viscose rayon is derived:
- Beech
- Pine
- Spruce
- Hemlock
- Eucalyptus
- Bamboo
- Soy
- Sugarcane
Viscose is super absorbent, making this fabric suitable for activewear. Moreover, viscose fabric retains color well, so it’s easy to find it in almost any hue.