What Is Rayon? (And How It Differs From Viscose)

Rayon is one of the most confusing terms in clothing. It shows up on labels constantly, but most people have no idea what it actually is. Is it natural? Synthetic? Good? Bad? The answer is: it depends on which type.

Here's the complete breakdown — what rayon is, how its subtypes differ, and why those differences matter more than most people realise.

What Rayon Actually Is

Rayon is a semi-synthetic fabric made from wood pulp. The source material — cellulose from trees like eucalyptus, beech, bamboo, or pine — is natural. But the process of turning wood into wearable fabric requires significant chemical processing.

The basic process works like this:

1. Wood is chipped and dissolved into a cellulose pulp
2. The pulp is treated with chemicals to create a viscous solution
3. That solution is forced through tiny holes (spinnerets) to form fibres
4. The fibres are washed, dried, and spun into yarn

The result is a fabric that behaves more like a natural fibre — it breathes, absorbs moisture, and biodegrades — but is manufactured in a factory, not grown in a field. This is why it's called "regenerated cellulose" rather than natural or synthetic.

Rayon was invented in the 1880s as an affordable alternative to silk. It was originally marketed as "artificial silk" — and that comparison still holds. It drapes beautifully, feels smooth against skin, and has a natural lustre that polyester can't replicate.

The Three Types of Rayon

This is where it gets important. "Rayon" is the umbrella term. Under it sit three distinct fabrics with very different properties and environmental footprints:

1. Viscose (the original, the most common)

Viscose accounts for roughly 80% of all rayon produced globally. When a label says "rayon" without further specification, it almost always means viscose.

The viscose process uses carbon disulfide — a toxic, volatile chemical linked to neurological damage in factory workers. About 50% of the solvent is recovered; the rest is released into the environment. Investigations by organisations like Changing Markets Foundation have documented water contamination and health impacts near viscose factories in China, India, and Indonesia.

Properties: Soft, breathable, good drape, absorbs moisture well. But weakens significantly when wet (loses up to 50% of its strength), shrinks easily, and wrinkles.

2. Modal (the upgraded middle child)

Modal is a refined version of viscose, typically made from beech wood pulp. The manufacturing process is modified to produce finer, stronger fibres.

Properties: Softer than viscose, 50% more absorbent than cotton, better wet strength, more resistant to shrinking. It's become the go-to fabric for premium underwear and loungewear. Lenzing Modal (the branded version) uses more sustainable sourcing, but generic modal varies widely.

3. Lyocell / Tencel (the genuinely sustainable one)

Lyocell uses a completely different solvent — NMMO — which is non-toxic and recovered at a rate of 99.7% in a closed-loop system. This eliminates the toxic waste problem of viscose entirely.

Properties: Strongest of all rayon types (even when wet), smoother fibre surface than cotton, excellent moisture management, naturally antibacterial. The gold standard for regenerated cellulose. Tencel is Lenzing's branded version of lyocell, made with FSC-certified wood.

How They Compare

Rayon on Your Skin

All three rayon types share some core skin benefits over synthetics:

• Breathability — rayon allows air circulation comparable to cotton, dramatically better than polyester
• Moisture absorption — rayon absorbs 10-12% of its weight in moisture (vs. polyester's 0.4%)
• No static — unlike synthetics, rayon doesn't generate static electricity
• No microplastics — because the base material is cellulose, rayon sheds biodegradable fibres, not plastic

Where they differ is in chemical residues. Viscose processed in poorly regulated factories can retain traces of carbon disulfide and other processing chemicals. Lyocell's non-toxic manufacturing process eliminates this concern. If you have sensitive skin, lyocell is the safest rayon choice.

The Environmental Problem With Rayon

Rayon's environmental story is a tale of two extremes.

The bad (viscose):

• Carbon disulfide exposure causes neurological damage — tremors, psychosis, heart disease — in factory workers. A 2016 investigation found viscose workers in China with severe health complications.
• About 150 million trees are logged annually for cellulosic fabrics. Some of that comes from ancient and endangered forests in Indonesia, Canada, and the Amazon.
• Untreated chemical waste contaminates waterways near viscose mills in developing countries.

The good (lyocell/Tencel):

• Closed-loop manufacturing recovers 99.7% of solvent — nearly zero chemical waste.
• FSC-certified wood sourcing (for Lenzing products) ensures no ancient forest destruction.
• Eucalyptus grows on marginal land with rainfall alone — no irrigation, no competing with food crops.
• Fully biodegradable end product, decomposing in weeks under industrial composting.

The takeaway: "rayon" on a label tells you almost nothing about environmental impact. The type of rayon tells you everything.

How to Read Rayon on Labels

Clothing labels can be frustratingly vague. Here's what to look for:

• "Rayon" — almost always viscose. Common in fast fashion.
• "Viscose" — the standard, chemically intensive process. Ask brands about their supplier.
• "Modal" — better than viscose, especially if it specifies Lenzing Modal.
• "Lyocell" — the best rayon process. Even generic lyocell uses less toxic chemistry than viscose.
• "Tencel" — Lenzing's branded lyocell. The gold standard.
• "Bamboo rayon" or "bamboo viscose" — bamboo that's been chemically processed into viscose. Despite the green marketing, it's just viscose made from bamboo instead of other trees.

The fabric composition label is your first line of defence. But knowing what the terms mean is what gives that label actual power.

When Rayon Makes Sense

Rayon (particularly modal and lyocell) is excellent for:

• Summer clothing — breathable, lightweight, beautiful drape
• Dresses and blouses — the natural flow and lustre work well
• Underwear and loungewear — soft, moisture-absorbing, comfortable
• Sleepwear — excellent temperature regulation overnight

Where rayon is less ideal:

• Outerwear — poor wet strength (except lyocell)
• Activewear — dries slower than synthetics for high-intensity exercise
• Items you'll wash frequently — viscose degrades faster than cotton with repeated washing

The Bottom Line

Rayon is not one fabric — it's a family of fabrics with vastly different qualities. Grouping viscose and lyocell together because they're both "rayon" is like grouping a bicycle and a Tesla together because they're both "vehicles."

If you're choosing rayon: lyocell (Tencel) is the best option by every measure — comfort, durability, sustainability. Modal is a solid middle ground. Viscose is the cheapest but comes with real environmental and quality trade-offs.

The label won't always tell you which type you're getting. But knowing the difference means you can ask the right questions — and make choices that are better for your skin and the planet.