Viscose: a beautiful sheen!

Fluid and light, viscose is one of the materials favored by the brand ARTIST.

Brigitte and François tell you about this fabric, which is very present in their collections and all the good reasons for their choice.

If there were 2 words to sum up Artist, it would be COLOR and PRINTS. 

Exactly: viscose prints very well. The color rendering is bright. The clothes have a feminine fit.

Particularly, for the BOTANIA theme inspired by the floral and spring explosion of Florence Nérisson’s painting, each model proposed perfectly reflects this beautiful radiance.


Before getting to the heart of the matter, let’s take the time for a little history.


In 1884, the French Hilaire de Chardonnet And Auguste Delubac invented “artificial silk” based on cellulose of wood replacing the use of silk worm. They thus offer a more affordable alternative compared to very expensive silk.

This invention, “viscose”, was then patented by the chemists Cross, Bevan & Beadle in United Kingdom, in 1892, before becoming world famous at the start of the 20th century. From 1924, it was still found under the other name “rayon” established everywhere in clothing, lingerie, but also in technical, industrial fields, etc. 

From the Universal Exhibition of 1900, the first viscose threads were shown to the public. Success comes the day after the 1time World War. It would not compete with synthetic fibers derived from petroleum until 1938.

 

What is it?

With more than 100 years of existence, it is the oldest artificial material!

Based on plant origin and then transformed, this artificial fiber is obtained through a chemical modification of a part of the wood: cellulose. 

The varieties used are: pine, beech and bamboo. The base material is taken from various natural plant sources (wood, leaves, branches, plant stems, eucalyptus, etc.). The plant pulp is extracted and reworked by chemical and physical treatments in order to obtain more or less long and continuous filaments. Then step to spinning to produce a thread. It will either be woven to obtain a warp and weft fabric, or knitted to obtain a stitch. Result: a textile material of pure viscose composition or mixed with other fibers (polyamide, acetate, etc.). The provenance is from a natural and sustainable source but the manufacturing is chemical and mechanical. 

Viscose is made from wood pulp, making it a cellulosic fiber, like cotton or linen. Often compared to cotton for their common characteristics: intrinsically not very elastic and high absorption capacity. Much smoother than cotton, viscose gives a lively and shiny color rendering.


His advantages :

Here are some of the most interesting qualities of viscose:


  • Versatile – it mixes very well with other fibers for any type of clothing
  • Breathable
  • Beautiful draping, fluidity
  • Excellent color retention, fixes them well (dyeing, printing)
  • Highly absorbent
  • Relatively light
  • Solid, resistant,
  • Sweet, comfortable
  • No static accumulation
  • Affordable price

Is viscose an ecological fabric?


As viscose is made from cellulose, it can be said to be a more durable fiber than other synthetics, such as polyester. More responsible alternatives to traditional viscose have really existed in recent years. This is the case for viscose made from bamboo pulp. or eucalyptus, grown in ecologically managed and PEFE-FSE certified forests.

Viscose is increasingly manufactured using the Lyocell transformation process (eucalyptus cellulose). In this case, we use a non-toxic and recyclable organic solvent.

This method produces less waste.

As fabric technology advances, many manufacturers are making significant and positive efforts to ensure responsible production; keen to meet the demand for skin-friendly, environmental and biodegradable fabrics.

As we continue to strive for an environmentally friendly world, growing and promising innovations, developments and advancements are expected to ensure the sustainability of fibers such as viscose.

Will, awareness, research and development work in India, China, Sweden…. The right directions are in progress. The international roadmap firmly sets the path for innovative green fibers derived from plant sources.

Our maintenance tips :


Follow the recommendations on your clothing labels.


Wash maximum at 30°C on a delicate cycle, inside out.

Use a laundry net or wash with other parts to avoid friction on the drum. 


Remove the laundry at the end of the program and hang it out or use the “rinse stop” function to avoid creasing the laundry. Do not twist when spinning.


Quick drying on a hanger or on a dryer, ideally in the open air. No full sun.

Tumble dryer not recommended or delicate program.


Little creasing. If necessary, iron preferably on slightly damp clothing and with a gentle iron.


If your viscose shrinks: first fill a container with lukewarm water before adding 2 tablespoons of conditioner or baby shampoo. Leave to soak for 30 minutes, absorption will relax the fiber. Wring gently. Dry flat.


If the stain persists, rub gently with Marseille soap or appropriate detergent.

Publié par Viviane VGM, Rédactrice du Magazine Artist La marque.

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