Viscose (CV)

What is viscose?

Viscose is a man-made fiber made from cellulose and is therefore also known as regenerated cellulose fiber. Its properties are very similar to those of cotton. It owes its name to its manufacturing process. The threads of viscose fiber are made from a viscous substance, also called viscose.
Until 1924, viscose fiber was sold as artificial silk; from 1930 onwards, the name rayon became established, and nowadays we know the fiber almost exclusively as viscose.

How is viscose produced?

The production of viscose requires cellulose. This is obtained through a chemical process from the wood of beech, spruce, bamboo, or eucalyptus trees. This cellulose is then further processed until a viscous mass is created using various chemicals such as sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide. This viscous liquid is then forced through tiny spinnerets into a sulfuric acid spinning bath. The openings of the spinnerets have an average diameter of 0.05 millimeters.
The finished viscose fibers can now be processed further. Before they can be sewn into a T-shirt, however, the individual fibers must be spun into yarn and woven or knitted into a textile fabric, either a woven or knitted material.

Is viscose a natural or a synthetic fiber?

Viscose is semi-synthetic. This means that it cannot be clearly classified as either a natural fiber like cotton or silk, or a synthetic fiber like polyamide or polyester.
While viscose consists of cellulose, which is extracted from the wood of beech, spruce, bamboo, or eucalyptus trees, it is further processed using chemicals such as caustic soda and carbon disulfide.

Is viscose environmentally friendly or harmful to the environment?

Viscose is based on cellulose, a renewable raw material. Furthermore, its production requires no petroleum, and pesticides are largely avoided in cellulose cultivation.
The problem, therefore, lies not in the raw materials or cultivation, but in the manufacturing process. This process requires a great deal of energy and releases a large quantity of chemicals in liquid and gaseous form. These chemicals, such as caustic soda and carbon disulfide, make viscose production very environmentally damaging. However, there are now manufacturing processes, such as the Lyocell process, which use non-toxic solvents, produce few waste products, and are thus significantly less harmful to the environment. (For example, the fibers of Lenzing's EcoVero brand are viscose fibers produced in an environmentally conscious manner: https://www.ecovero.com/de/ )
A major advantage of viscose fibers, however, is that they are compostable. Unfortunately, in reality, the fibers are rarely used in pure form; viscose products are often made from mixtures with other fibers, which is why both compostability and recyclability are limited.

Properties/Uses of viscose fibers

Viscose has very similar properties to cotton. However, because viscose is produced through chemical treatment, its properties can be significantly influenced as needed. For example, many physiological properties of clothing can be determined by altering the cross-section of the fibers.
Thus, unlike cotton, viscose is easier to wash and generally easier to care for; viscose textiles usually don't need ironing, they are pleasant against the skin, very soft, and don't itch. Furthermore, viscose fabrics are easy to dye, an important aspect in the fashion industry. Viscose can also absorb moisture even better than cotton without feeling wet.
Because of its moisture-absorbing properties, viscose is particularly well-suited for sportswear and workwear. Viscose is often found in combination with cotton, as it enhances the properties of cotton. Fabrics made from a blend of viscose and cotton, for example, are softer and therefore more comfortable to wear compared to fabrics made from 100% cotton.
100% viscose is frequently used for textiles that are meant to drape loosely and airily, such as blouses. Viscose is also a popular fiber for glossy linings.
However, viscose fibers are not only found in the clothing industry; they are also used for cotton swabs, sponges, tea bags, and banknote paper, among other things.

Alternatives to viscose

Instead of viscose, more environmentally friendly alternatives such as modal or lyocell fibers can be used. Although these fibers are classified as viscose, their production is more sustainable.

Modal fibers

A common name for modal is improved viscose , and that's not entirely inaccurate. Modal is produced using a modified viscose spinning process. The raw material for modal is primarily our native beechwood. Compared to viscose fibers, modal fibers are softer yet also stronger.

Lyocell fibers

Lyocell fibers are derived from eucalyptus trees. The production of lyocell fibers requires no toxic solvents. Furthermore, no toxic gases are produced, and the wastewater can be returned to the water cycle in the normal way.

Tencel

Behind the brand name Tencel are Lyocell and Modal fibers from Lenzing ( https://www.tencel.com/de/about ). They are produced in an environmentally conscious manufacturing process and consist of sustainably sourced natural wood.