Viscose is a type of rayon: a fabric made from plant cellulose, usually wood pulp, that is dissolved with chemicals and spun back into fiber. It is not a natural fiber like cotton and not a petroleum synthetic like polyester. It sits in between, which is why it is often called semi-synthetic. Viscose drapes like silk, absorbs more moisture than cotton and loses a large share of its strength when wet, which drives how you wash it and how you press on it.
- Fiber type
- Regenerated cellulose (rayon)
- Usual source
- Wood pulp; also bamboo and other plants
- Moisture regain
- About 11%, vs 7 to 8.5% for cotton (ASTM D1909)
- Wet strength
- Drops 30 to 50% when wet
- U.S. label name
- Rayon or viscose
How viscose is made
The viscose process dates to the early 1890s, when British chemists Charles Cross, Edward Bevan and Clayton Beadle developed and patented it. It is still the most common way to make rayon. The steps are:
- Purified cellulose, usually from wood pulp, is soaked in sodium hydroxide.
- The treated cellulose reacts with carbon disulfide to form cellulose xanthate.
- The xanthate dissolves in more sodium hydroxide into a thick, honey-like liquid. That liquid is the viscose, and the name comes from how viscous it is.
- The liquid is pushed through a spinneret into a sulfuric acid bath, where it hardens back into cellulose filaments.
The fiber that comes out has the same basic chemistry as cotton cellulose, but the plant's original structure is gone. That is why it behaves differently from cotton even though both are cellulose.
Carbon disulfide is the catch. It is toxic, and worker health problems around rayon plants are well documented. Modern plants can recover most of it, but not all producers do. That is part of why lyocell, which dissolves cellulose in a recyclable organic solvent instead, has gained ground.
Viscose vs rayon vs modal vs lyocell
These names cause a lot of confusion. Under the FTC's textile rules, rayon is the generic name for a manufactured fiber made of regenerated cellulose. Viscose is the most common process for making it, and in practice the two words mean the same fabric. You will see "viscose" more on European labels and "rayon" more on U.S. ones. More background is in our guide to rayon.
| Fiber | How it is made | What it feels like | Wash behavior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viscose rayon | Sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide process | Silky, heavy drape, cool | Weak when wet, can shrink a lot |
| Modal | Rayon stretched during spinning; Lenzing trademark, beech cellulose | Very soft, smoother | Stronger wet, more wash stable |
| Lyocell (Tencel) | Cellulose dissolved in an organic solvent that is recovered | Smooth, slightly crisp | Strong wet, machine washable |
| Bamboo viscose | Bamboo pulp through the viscose process | Same as viscose | Same as viscose |
"Bamboo" deserves a note. The FTC has fined retailers for labeling rayon made from bamboo pulp as simply "bamboo." Unless the fiber was mechanically processed from the plant, the correct label is "rayon made from bamboo" or "viscose made from bamboo." Once bamboo goes through the viscose process, it is rayon.
What viscose is good at and where it falls short
Strengths
- Drape. Viscose hangs and flows, which is why it shows up in dresses, blouses and linings.
- Absorbency. ASTM D1909 lists a commercial moisture regain of 11% for rayon, compared with 7 to 8.5% for cotton and 0.4% for polyester. It feels cool in heat.
- Dye uptake. It takes dye easily and gives deep, bright colors.
- No static. Because it holds moisture, it does not cling the way polyester can.
Weaknesses
- Wet strength. FabricLink notes regular rayon loses 30 to 50% of its strength when wet, so agitation and wringing damage it.
- Shrinkage. Untreated viscose labeled dry clean only can shrink badly in a washer, sometimes by more than one size.
- Wrinkles. It has poor elastic recovery, so it creases easily.
- Environmental footprint. The chemistry and wastewater, as covered above.
Can you press DTF on viscose?
Yes, with care. Viscose has no polyester, so there is no dye migration problem, which is the usual worry on synthetics. The concerns are different: heat shine, scorching and shrinkage from the moisture the fabric holds.
- Test first. Order one or two single transfers by size and press a scrap or an inside hem. Look for shine, color change or puckering.
- Pre-press 5 seconds. Viscose holds moisture, and that steam can cause adhesion problems. A short pre-press drives it out.
- Use a cover sheet. A Teflon sheet or parchment between the platen and fabric cuts down on shine on the exposed fabric around the print.
- Keep the time tight. Our transfers press at 300°F, high pressure, 10 seconds. Do not add time to make up for anything. If the fabric shows shine at that setting, lower the pressure a little before you touch time or temperature.
- Expect a heavier feel on very thin fabrics. A large solid print on a lightweight drapey rayon will change how it hangs. Smaller designs, distressed art and halftones keep the drape.
Viscose blends are common in tees, especially triblends that mix polyester, cotton and rayon. On those, the polyester share is what you watch, because poly dyes can bleed into the white ink layer. Treat a triblend like a poly blend. Our DTF on polyester guide covers that.
How to wash viscose with a print on it
Follow the garment's care label first. If it says dry clean only, a heat transfer is probably not the right decoration anyway. For washable viscose and viscose blends:
- Turn the garment inside out.
- Wash cold on a gentle cycle, or hand wash.
- Do not wring. Press water out with a towel.
- Hang or lay flat to dry. Dryer heat and tumbling shorten its life.
- Iron inside out on low, never directly on the print.
Those steps protect both the fabric and the print. See our DTF washing instructions for more.
FAQ
Is viscose a natural fabric?
Not exactly. It starts from natural cellulose, usually wood pulp, but the pulp is chemically dissolved and spun into a new fiber. That is why it is called semi-synthetic or regenerated.
Is viscose the same as polyester?
No. Polyester is a synthetic made from petroleum-based chemicals and absorbs almost no water. Viscose is cellulose, absorbs more water than cotton, and does not melt the way polyester can.
Does viscose shrink?
It can, a lot, especially untreated viscose washed hot or tumble dried. Cold water, gentle cycles and air drying keep it closer to its original size.
Is bamboo fabric really viscose?
Most soft bamboo fabric is bamboo pulp turned into rayon through the viscose process. The FTC requires it to be labeled as rayon or viscose made from bamboo, not just bamboo.
Test a print on your viscose blank
Order a few transfers by size, press a test piece and check for shine before you commit to a full run. No minimums, and orders placed before 1PM PT ship the same business day.