By: Daisy Hemmen
If you’re committed to lowering your environmental footprint, you’ve probably come across bamboo viscose as a recommended natural fabric for your clothing and home. But is viscose a good material in terms of comfort, care, and wear?
In short: absolutely, it can be.
That said, you may be wondering, is viscose sustainable? Viscose rayon fabric quality and eco-friendliness can vary depending on the practices of its creators and the source viscose material used. From responsible crafters, viscose rayon can be:
- Comfortable and easy to wear both in its pure form and in blended fabrics
- Simple to care for and long-lasting
- A sustainably created, earth-loving material
Let’s take a closer look at the properties of viscose fiber and when to choose it.
What is viscose?
Viscose fiber is a semi-synthetic material. It combines natural fibers with a careful chemical treatment that breaks down proteins into a new structure that can be spun and woven into viscose blend fabric. It’s also known as the most common type of rayon fiber.
There are a few environmental impact concerns with the creation of viscose fibers that make it a must to know you’re getting your clothing or synthetic fabric from a reputable source:
-
Tree and plant sustainability – The natural fibers used in the production process to create a viscose blend can be almost any plant or tree material, including those from protected forest regions.
- Chemical process – The chemicals used in the production process to transform wood pulp and plant pulp to viscose material need to be handled with care. Responsible creators ensure no solvents are leaving their system to impact water supplies.
A popular option today is bamboo viscose fabric. You may be wondering what is bamboo viscose, put simply, viscose clothing uses bamboo as the natural fiber. Boody Eco Wear sources viscose sustainably to ensure every item of clothing can be worn like an eco-badge of honor.
What is viscose used for?
You can find viscose in both fashion and home textiles at various weights. It’s a versatile viscose garment fabric in part because it combines well with others and can be used in blends with both natural and synthetic fabrics.
Viscose natural fabric is a great choice for:
- Sustainable Fashion that includes shirts, blouses, and dresses
- Intimates, sustainable underwear, and activewear (in viscose garment fabric blends)
- Drapery, sheets, and table linens
- Hygiene products like beauty masks, surgical dressings, baby wipes
Often you’ll find viscose used in products where softness on the skin is a high priority.
Features of viscose
Viscose natural fiber has a lot going for it, from texture to color to breathability. Its characteristics include:
- Texture and finish – Oh so soft, like a baby’s chubby cheeks! Viscose can come in a silky or matte finish, but it’s smooth and soft to the touch.
- Drape and lack of cling – Lightweight viscose is popular in sustainable clothing that depends on a beautiful drape. It falls smoothly and softly, and unlike many synthetics, it is very resistant to static cling.
- Shape and versatility – Viscose can be blended with both synthetic and natural fabrics, retaining its shape while being able to provide stretch with more elastic materials in the mix.
- Breathability and moisture-wicking – This airy fabric absorbs water and sweat without trapping moisture or body heat, helping the wearer remain comfortable and dry.
- Color – Viscose takes to dyes beautifully, resulting in rich, deep color options. It’s dye-fast, retaining color without fading even after a lot of wear and washing.
- Affordability – With an established fabrication process and flexibility in source materials, viscose is often significantly more affordable than silks or cottons.
How to care for viscose
Due to the variance of both the source fibers and the creation process, there may be some differences in how to care for your fabrics. Ever asked yourself, does viscose shrink? Check tags and follow care instructions specific to each product.
Most viscose can be:
- Washed – Wash gently with a mild detergent, either by hand or on a delicates or gentle machine cycle.
- Dried – Ideally, drape or lay flat to air dry in a shaded location, or use a low-heat gentle setting on a dryer.
- Ironed – Use a low setting or select “rayon” on your iron.
Avoid dry cleaning viscose fabrics, as the chemicals can break down or damage its synthetic fibers.
Where did bamboo viscose come from?
The viscose process began in response to a silk shortage after a silkworm blight in the late 19th century.1 Using mulberry leaves (a popular dinner for silkworms) as the source natural material, Count Hilaire de Chardonnet experimented with finding the right chemical treatment to produce long, silky fibers that could be spun into material.2 Viscose fabric was lauded as an amazing silk replacement and renamed rayon.
At this point you are probably questioning is viscose biodegradable? Today, any wood or plant pulp can be used as source material, but about 30% of the rayon and viscose materials used in the fashion industry is sourced from endangered forests.3
Bamboo fabrics became popular in Western markets in the early 2000s, both for their comfort and quality but also due to growing eco-consciousness among consumers. Unlike trees, bamboo benefits are:
- Is a fast-growing grass that uses little water
- Requires no pesticides or fertilizers
- Is self-generating (plant it once and you’re done)
Combining a sustainable source material with a proven process for creating high-quality fabric has made bamboo viscose a sought-after choice for bamboo shirts, underwear, and more.
Boody Eco Wear: Bamboo viscose done right
Our mission at Boody is to create sustainable clothing, both in terms of ecological sustainability and lasting fashion. Our intimates, loungewear, and activewear collections for women, men, and babies are beautifully comfortable and durable as well as just plain beautiful.
Ethical practices at Boody include transparency. You can find out more about our sustainability, living wage, process, and certifications on our website.
While you’re there, take a look at the cross-section of wearable luxury, sustainable fashion, and soft-to-the-touch clothing that is Boody.
About the Author:
Daisy Hemmen is a San Diego State University Fowler College of Business alumni. Based in Encinitas, California, Daisy is a part of the marketing team at Boody North America. She is passionate about learning the ins and outs of living a happy and healthy lifestyle that benefits both people and the planet, and enjoys sharing her bountiful findings with the community.
Sources:
- Treehugger. What Is Viscose? https://www.treehugger.com/what-is-viscose-fabric-5070642
- McGill Office for Science and Society (OSS). What was meant by “Chardonnet Silk?” https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history-you-asked/what-was-meant-chardonnet-silk
- Fibre2Fashion. Fashionable fabrics leading to deforestation. https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/7365/fashionable-fabrics-leading-to-deforestation
- Fabrics Galore. Why Should You Use Viscose Fabric for Dressmaking? https://www.fabricsgalore.co.uk/blogs/news/why-should-you-use-viscose-as-a-dressmaking-fabric
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By: Heather Bien We’re all trying to be better stewards of Mother Earth. From recycling to upcycling and eating conscientiously to dressing mindfully, our choices affect the planet. So choosing organic cotton clothing seems like an easy decision, right? Not so fast! As with all sustainable choices, it’s important to take a moment to learn a bit more about why organic cotton might win over conventional cotton—and what makes these two materials different in the first place. Read on if you’re interested in learning about organic cotton and whether it’s the best choice for you and the environment. Conventional cotton Before we get into debating modern cotton farming techniques, let’s get familiar with the plant we’re talking about: cotton. It’s soft, durable, and probably on your body right now. But what else do you really know about cotton? Here are the basics: Cotton comes from the cotton plant – The cotton plant is a warm-season woody perennial shrub from the genus Gossypium and the family Malvaceae. Cotton fabric is made from the plant’s fibrous seed-hair (which is also called a cotton boll). Cotton is one of the top agricultural crops – Traditional cotton is the most widespread and profitable non-food crop in the world. Although the plant is capable of growing in any warm-weather climate, India and China are now the top producers of cotton globally. Cotton is thirsty – A normal cotton plant requires 10 gallons of water to reach peak potential. That doesn’t sound so bad, but multiplying it outward, that means it takes about 5,000 gallons of water to produce just 2.2 pounds of cotton fabric. Pests think it’s delicious – Not only is cotton thirsty, but it’s prone to pest infestations from bollworms, weevils, aphids, stink bugs, thrips, and spider mites. In order to combat these common pests, conventional cotton is routinely sprayed with a veritable salad-dressing of pesticides, many of which can remain in the soil and water supply for years afterward. Cotton harvesting requires defoliation – In order to quickly and efficiently harvest cotton, many commercial growers use chemical defoliants to strip the leaves from the cotton plant prior to harvesting the bolls. Like pesticides, these chemicals remain in the environment and on the cotton itself. Is organic cotton better? All of those cotton factoids point pretty compellingly to buying and wearing organic cotton fabric. But first, it’s important to understand what sets this organic alternative apart. Why exactly is “organic” cotton anyway? You might associate the word organic with your healthy fruits and veggies, but it’s not always clear what this term means when it comes to cotton. For many years, there was not a standard definition, but today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) require that any cotton product labeled “organic” meet the following criteria: Made with fibers from USDA-certified organic crops Third-party certified (ie., through the Global Organic Textile Standard) under the National Organic Program standards Has a specific percentage of organic material (depending on the crop) But this definition is a little circular, so we need also to define USDA-certified organic crops. According to the USDA, organic crop standards are defined as follows: Land must have had no prohibited substances applied to it for at least three years before the harvest of an organic crop. Soil fertility and crop nutrients will be managed through tillage and cultivation practices, crop rotations, and cover crops. These can be supplemented with animal and crop waste materials and allowed synthetic materials. Crop pests, weeds, and diseases will be controlled primarily through management practices, including physical, mechanical, and biological controls. When these practices are not sufficient, a biological, botanical, or synthetic substance approved for use on the National List may be used. Operations must use organic seeds and other planting stock when available. The use of genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, and sewage sludge is prohibited. What is organic cotton? In short, it’s cotton that is farmed according to these practices and certified organic by the USDA. Why should you choose organic cotton? With fewer pesticides, fewer synthetic chemicals, and more thoughtful cultivation practices, organic cotton can certainly offer a more environmentally friendly choice when compared to regular cotton. Is organic cotton sustainable? Here are a few other reasons why organic cotton can be a better alternative for you and the earth: It’s better for our water resources – According to an analysis by the Textile Exchange, producing an organic cotton T-shirt requires 1,982 fewer gallons of water compared to a regular cotton T-shirt. Because organic cotton uses less chemicals, its production also releases fewer toxins into our aquatic ecosystems. It’s good for the soil (and our carbon footprint) – According to the Soil Association, the more natural cultivation practices and fewer pesticides used by organic cotton farmers can support healthier soil. That soil, in turn, can absorb more carbon from our atmosphere and help keep the planet healthy. It encourages biodiversity – Multiple studies have shown that organic farming practices can encourage more diversity among the animal species of our planet. Sustainability is sometimes in the eye of the beholder. But when it comes to plant-derived textiles, the ones which help us create a healthier world are always a better alternative. Explore the benefits of bamboo with Boody Whether you choose to purchase conventional or organic cotton clothing, the fact that you are shopping mindfully for yourself is a win for the environment. At Boody, we believe in bringing you quality, comfy, sustainable clothing basics that keep you feeling good about yourself and your personal impact on Mother Earth. From our sleepwear to our loungewear, women’s bamboo shirts to our underwear, sustainable and ethical are our touchstones. Our clothing is made of bamboo viscose, requiring less water than cotton while putting precious oxygen back into the environment. That just feels good, doesn’t it? Explore the bamboo benefits today, with Boody. Sources: Britannica. Cotton. https://www.britannica.com/topic/cotton-fibre-and-plant Cotton. The Story of Cotton - Where Cotton Grows. https://www.cotton.org/pubs/cottoncounts/story/where.cfm World Wildlife Federation. Cotton. https://www.worldwildlife.org/industries/cotton Textile Exchange. Quick Guide to Organic Cotton. https://textileexchange.org/quick-guide-to-organic-cotton Soil Association. What is organic cotton? https://www.soilassociation.org/take-action/organic-living/fashion-textiles/organic-cotton/ USDA. Conservation and Biological Diversity in Organic Production. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2016/02/29/conservation-and-biological-diversity-organic-production About the Author: Heather Bien is a copywriter and writer based in Washington, DC. She works with retail, ecommerce, and creative brands on their website copy and digital presence, and her freelance writing has appeared on MyDomaine, Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, and more. 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