8 types of viscose and the properties of each of them

When many people see Viscosa on the label, they are confused. Viscose is an ambiguous material: some consider it synthetic, others classify it as a natural fabric. But the truth is in the middle. The method of its processing is chemical, and the basis is wood cellulose. The properties of the material are also very variable. It can be very fragile, strong, stretchy or not, reminiscent of cotton, silk, linen, even wool. It all depends on the additives, modifications and, accordingly, the type of viscose.

Is viscose a synthetic or a natural fabric?

Depending on the type of raw material, fabrics are distinguished:

natural plants - cotton, hemp, flax;
natural animals – silk, wool;
natural mineral – awn, asbestos;
artificial chemicals - viscose, lurex, acetate;
synthetic chemicals - polyesters, polyamide, polypropylene.

As you can see, viscose belongs to the category of artificial fabrics, but it is not the same as synthetics. Artificial materials are produced from natural organic and inorganic substances, mainly cellulose, less often glass and metal. Synthetic ones are products of oil refining and subsequent synthesis of the resulting substances.

How is viscose obtained?

The prospect of creating artificial fiber from wood has occupied the minds of scientists for a very long time, more than 2 centuries. With the discovery of cellulose in 1838 by A. Payen, it became more real than ever.The fibrous substance obtained by treating wood with nitric acid had characteristics similar to cotton fiber. All that remained was to find a way to dissolve it and draw it into threads.

The next impetus for the invention of viscose came from the development of J. Mercer (1844), who described the process of regenerating cellulose from a concentrated copper-ammonia solution with the addition of acid. However, the method found industrial application only in 1857 thanks to E. Schweitzer. Further its development was carried out by M. Kramer and I. Schlossberger. Finally, in 1892, English scientists Bevin, Cross and Beadle found a way to produce viscose fiber. This happened in several stages:

wood crushing;
boiling in an alkaline solution;
squeezing the mass through the smallest holes into a container with acid;
finishing;
drying.

Today, viscose is produced in the same way as 100 years ago. The only differences can be found in modernized production and new technical equipment.

Properties of viscose, stretches or not

Viscose comes from the word viscosus, which means viscous. This is the name given not only to the fabric, but also to the solution itself from which it is obtained (it resembles a honey-colored gel and stretches well). It is noteworthy that cellophane is made from the same solution, only they use not pinholes to pull out threads, but slits to obtain a solid sheet. Many people mistakenly associate cellophane with bags, but more often it can be found in the form of packaging for sausages. It, like viscose fabric, is vapor and moisture permeable.

What are the properties of viscose (clothing made from this material)?

Highly hygroscopic (absorbs moisture better than cotton).
Soft and hygienic.
Aesthetic and varied appearance.
Good susceptibility to paints, brightness and color fastness.
Antistatic (not electrified).
Breathability.
High creaseability.
Low strength, especially when wet.
Average wear resistance.
Tendency to deformation when washed (stretches, shrinks up to 10%, rolls up).
Inelasticity (100% viscose does not stretch).

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Viscose is found not only in clothing. The material is used to produce a high-strength thread - cordon, which is then used for the production of technical products. It is also used to make various household rags and sponges, staple fiber for carpets, warm clothes, and artificial fur.

Elastane, spandex or polyester are often added to viscose. Then the thing stretches well and fits the figure.

Varieties

Before making a conclusion about viscose, it is worth mentioning a very important point. The material has many guises. Even fabrics labeled “100% viscose” are different.

So, there are 8 main types of viscose fabric:

Modal. This fabric consists entirely of wood cellulose and is endowed with the properties of cotton: hygroscopic, durable, wear-resistant.
Tencel. First made in the USA. Cellulose from eucalyptus trees is used as a base. The material made from it is silky and very soft. It absorbs moisture well, is breathable, durable, but prone to deformation.
Cupra. The appearance is practically no different from natural silk. Cupra fabric is durable, has the ability to thermoregulate, and is breathable, but it requires delicate care.
Acetate (acetate silk). Cellulose waste is used for production. The fabric is shiny, thin, elastic, holds its shape well, does not wrinkle, and is resistant to bacteria and fungus.But at the same time, it does not allow air and moisture to pass through, becomes electrified, deteriorates from alkalis, and dissolves from acetone.
Siblon. Advanced high modulus viscose fiber. This viscose is less susceptible to shrinkage, does not lose strength when wet, and is more elastic.
Staple. It is a mixture of cotton and viscose. This combination increases the environmental friendliness of the fabric. Disadvantages: wrinkles and shrinks when washed.
District. Another type of “artificial silk”. The fabric dries quickly and is resistant to deformation and wear.
Lyocell (lyocell). Unlike regular viscose, this material is produced from cellulose in an environmentally friendly way. It is durable, does not pill, does not change shape after washing, stretches, and is hygroscopic.

You can identify viscose by its varied and bright colors, sometimes by the beautiful shine of the fabric. As a rule, it wrinkles, but the body “breathes” in it. If you cut and set fire to a piece of such fabric, it will emit the characteristic smell of paper and leave ash.

In conclusion, we note: it is incorrect to say that viscose is synthetic. However, this is not a natural fabric. It is an organic material obtained artificially. In fact, viscose is on the border. It is impossible to say exactly how it will behave in clothes; to complete the picture, you need to look at the entire composition of the fabric. Various impurities are almost always added to viscose, and this greatly changes its properties.