Despite the fact that viscose is made from plant material

There are many different types of yarn out there – cotton, wool, acrylic, silk and even a few that don’t belong to any category. But one that seems to have fallen under a lot of scrutiny lately is viscose yarn. This is a textile that people often confuse with being either natural or synthetic but it really is neither. It’s a manufactured fiber that has a high tensile strength and is a very versatile yarn to use for knitting and crochet projects.

Viscose is made from cellulose, which comes from plant material but has to go through an artificial process in order to be turned into the yarn. This is why it’s often referred to as semi-synthetic. It’s not made from a plastic or polymer, but it is still processed with quite a few chemicals. It’s more similar to cotton than polyester in this regard, but it also feels and behaves a bit differently due to the difference in fiber length between the short cotton fibres and the long viscose filaments.

Despite the fact that viscose is made from plant material, it’s actually much closer to silk than cotton as far as how it feels and drapes. In fact, viscose was originally developed in 1883 as a cheaper alternative to silk. It’s very breathable, has a great sheen and pairs well with other materials.

In general, viscose is not as durable or as quick-drying as wool or acrylic but it is more affordable than silk and it does a good job of keeping you cool. It’s an excellent choice for sweaters, shirts and women’s dress fabrics. It can also be used for linings and underwear as well as industrial and non-woven textiles.

A few years ago, the term “rayon” was replaced with “viscose.” This is because the latter was more widely used in the United States. However, both are made from a cellulose-based raw material and they have many of the same qualities. The first manufactured fiber, viscose is not as strong as wool or nylon but it is more flexible and less brittle than cotton. It has a beautiful sheen, is very soft and can be used in a variety of garments.

Besides the traditional rayon, there are other varieties of manufactured viscose fabric that include tencel, micro-modal and modal (all viscose). The names simply describe the specific tweak in the manufacturing process. This is why it’s important to always check the label on your garments and fabric if you want to make sure that it’s 100% viscose and not some other type of synthetic fiber.