Viscose Facts For Kids

Rayon (often called viscose) is a kind of thread used to make clothes and fabrics. It is a “semi-synthetic” fibre, which means it starts with something natural — usually wood pulp — and is changed in a factory so it can be spun into threads. The chemical inside plants that makes their cell walls is called cellulose, and viscose is made from regenerated cellulose. Because it comes from plant material, viscose has the same basic building blocks as natural fibres, but it can be made to feel like silk, cotton, or linen. People use it for shirts, dresses, scarves, and other textiles.

People invented viscose more than a hundred years ago because they wanted a material that looked and felt like silk but cost less. In the 1880s a French inventor named Hilaire de Chardonnet made an early form of artificial silk. Later, in the 1890s, British scientists Charles Cross and his team developed a new way to make a thick, slippery liquid that led to the name “viscose.”

The first factory-made viscose yarn was sold in the early 1900s, and the material became popular for clothing. In the late 1900s new methods were developed to make similar fibres in cleaner ways. One of these newer fibres is called lyocell, and a well-known brand name for it is Tencel.

Viscose can copy the look and feel of many natural fibres. It can be soft and smooth like silk, cool and absorbent like cotton, or drapey like linen. It takes dye very well, so clothes made from viscose can be bright and colorful. Because it is made from plant cellulose, it feels comfortable against the skin and soaks up moisture.

Some types of viscose are weaker when they are wet and can lose shape or shine, so they often need careful washing or dry cleaning. A stronger type called HWM (high-wet-modulus) rayon keeps its shape better and can usually be washed more easily.

There are other materials that come from plant cellulose but are made in different ways. One group is called cellulose esters, such as cellulose acetate. These fibres behave differently from viscose — they can react to heat and need special care when washing. Clothes made from acetate usually have a separate label and may need gentler cleaning.

Another related product is cellophane, which is made by a process similar to viscose but is dried into thin clear sheets instead of fibres. Long ago, people also made early plastics from treated forms of cellulose, showing how many kinds of things can be made from the same plant material.

Viscose and similar fibers can be easier for nature to break down than some plastics, but the picture is mixed. Many wood-based cellulosic fibers, like Lyocell, break down fairly quickly in soil or compost, while fully synthetic fibers such as polyester do not. Scientists who study plastic in the oceans have also found cellulosic fibers there, and it can be hard to tell them apart from other man-made fibers in tests.

There are worries about where the wood comes from. Groups like CanopyPlanet and forest labeling programs (FSC, PEFC) try to make sure forests are not cut down for fiber. These groups publish reports that score companies on how well they protect forests.

One important health concern comes from a chemical called carbon disulfide, which has been used in the common viscose making process. This chemical is harmful if people breathe or touch it, so factory workers and people living near some plants can be at risk if the factories do not handle wastes and air carefully.

Many parts of the world do not always share clear safety data for plants. Because of that, it can be hard for communities to know if a nearby factory is safe. Safer machines, better filters, and rules can help reduce these risks.

The basic viscose fiber can be changed so it behaves differently. One change makes High-wet-modulus (HWM) rayon, also called polynosic, which stays stronger when it is wet. Another change is to stretch the fiber after it is made; this produces fibers called modal that feel soft and wear well.

Some of these modified fibers can also be treated a bit like cotton to make them shinier or stronger. These changes help cloth makers choose the right fiber for shirts, towels, or soft bed sheets.

There are several names you might see on labels. Modal is a name often used for a kind of viscose that has been stretched to make it softer and stronger; it started as a name from a company called Lenzing but is now used more widely. Tencel is a brand name for Lyocell, a fiber made in a different way that recovers its solvent and is treated as a different fiber by rules in some countries.

Some large companies make many kinds of cellulosic fibers, and groups that watch forests give scores to companies to show how well they protect trees. These brand names and company practices can help shoppers choose more careful makers.