What Is Viscose? The Semi-Synthetic Fabric Explained

Viscose is everywhere. It's in flowy summer dresses, silky blouses, comfortable T-shirts, and most "rayon" garments you've ever owned. It's the third most-used fibre in the world — and most people have no idea what it actually is.

Here's the straightforward answer: viscose is wood pulp that's been chemically dissolved and reconstructed into fabric. It's not natural. It's not synthetic. It's something in between — and understanding that matters for both your skin and the planet.

How Viscose Is Made

The process is what makes viscose controversial:

1. Wood pulp is harvested from trees — typically beech, eucalyptus, spruce, or pine. Sometimes bamboo.
2. The pulp is dissolved in sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) to extract cellulose.
3. The cellulose is treated with carbon disulfide — a toxic, volatile chemical — to create a viscous solution (hence the name "viscose").
4. This solution is forced through tiny holes (spinnerets) into a sulphuric acid bath, which regenerates the cellulose into solid fibres.
5. The fibres are washed, cut, and spun into yarn.

The raw material is natural. The end product behaves more like a natural fibre than a synthetic one. But the manufacturing process involves genuinely hazardous chemicals — particularly carbon disulfide, which is linked to neurological damage in factory workers and pollutes waterways when not properly contained.

This is why Tencel (lyocell) was developed — it achieves a similar result using a closed-loop solvent system that recovers 99%+ of chemicals, eliminating most of the environmental and health concerns.

Viscose Properties

• Drape: Viscose has an excellent fluid drape — it falls and flows in a way that cotton can't match. This is why it dominates in dresses, blouses, and flowy garments.
• Softness: Smooth and silky against skin, without polyester's plastic feel.
• Breathability: Because it's cellulose-based, viscose breathes well. It doesn't trap heat the way polyester does.
• Moisture absorption: Absorbs up to 13% of its weight. Not as good as cotton (25%) or wool (30%), but far better than polyester (under 1%).
• Wrinkle-prone: Viscose wrinkles easily and doesn't hold shape as well as cotton or synthetics.
• Low durability: Viscose is not a hard-wearing fabric. It pills, stretches, and wears out faster than cotton or polyester.

Viscose vs Polyester

This is the comparison that matters most, because viscose and polyester occupy similar price points but have completely different properties:

Property	Viscose	Polyester
Origin	Wood pulp (regenerated cellulose)	Petroleum (plastic)
Breathability	Good — lets air and moisture through	Poor — traps heat and moisture
Moisture absorption	Up to 13%	Under 1%
Skin feel	Smooth, silky, cool	Can feel plasticky, clings when sweaty
Odour	Moderate resistance	Harbours odour-causing bacteria
Durability	Lower — pills and wears	Higher — strong and resilient
Microplastics	None	Sheds with every wash
Biodegradation	Yes — months to years	No — 20-200+ years

For a deeper dive, see our viscose vs polyester comparison.

Viscose vs Cotton

When comparing viscose and cotton, the trade-offs are different:

• Drape: Viscose wins. Cotton is structured; viscose flows. For garments where drape matters, viscose is the better choice.
• Durability: Cotton wins. Cotton is stronger, especially when wet, and lasts longer with regular washing.
• Price: Viscose is typically cheaper to produce, which is why fast fashion brands use it heavily.
• Skin safety: Cotton is the safer bet for sensitive skin — no chemical processing residues to worry about.
• Moisture: Cotton absorbs more (25% vs 13%) but dries slower. Both breathe well.

When Viscose Is a Good Choice

• Summer dresses and blouses — the drape and breathability are ideal
• When you want a silk-like look at a fraction of the price
• Casual wear that won't be heavily washed or subjected to hard use
• When avoiding synthetic fabrics — viscose is biodegradable and doesn't shed microplastics

When to Avoid Viscose

• Activewear — it lacks the stretch, durability, and quick-drying properties you need
• Items you'll wash frequently — viscose weakens with washing and is prone to shrinkage
• If sustainability is your priority — choose Tencel (lyocell) or modal instead, which use cleaner production processes
• Work/travel clothing — viscose wrinkles badly and doesn't hold up to being packed in a suitcase

The Rayon Family: Viscose vs Modal vs Lyocell

Viscose, modal, and lyocell (Tencel) are all regenerated cellulose — the same raw material processed differently:

• Viscose — the original process. Cheapest. Uses carbon disulfide. Weakest when wet.
• Modal — modified viscose process. Stronger, better wash durability. Still uses some hazardous chemicals but fewer.
• Lyocell (Tencel) — closed-loop solvent process. Recovers 99%+ of chemicals. Strongest of the three. Most sustainable. Also the most expensive.

If you like how viscose feels but want better performance and sustainability, modal and lyocell are the direct upgrades — same cellulose base, better in almost every way.

Care Guide

• Wash cold — warm or hot water causes shrinkage and weakens fibres
• Gentle cycle — or hand wash. Viscose loses up to 50% of its strength when wet.
• No wringing — press water out gently or roll in a towel
• Hang or lay flat to dry — avoid the tumble dryer
• Iron on low with steam, or while slightly damp
• Some viscose garments are dry-clean only — check the label