What is Poly Viscose?

**Riverkilt** · 9th July 06, 11:22 PM

Rocky disagreed with this before - that Viscose is another name for Rayon.

I love the kilts made from the polyviscose. I too was scratching my head because back at Oregon State University in 1963 or so my minor was Clothing and Textiles. The textbook for one course was Introduction to Textiles by Evelyn E. Stout, an associate professor of Textiles and Clothing at Cornell University.

In the chapter she writes on The Non-thermoplastic man-made fibers she has a section on THE RAYONS (CELLULOSIC FIBERS) and within that section she has ten pages on Viscose.

Here are a few quotes from the book that may be helpful. Keeping in mind that this is only one college professor's opinion published in 1962.

"rayon includes viscose rayon"

"acetate...is not considered a rayon in the Untied States, but is still so regarded in a great many other countries."

"acetate will be discusssed with other man-made thermoplastic fibers."

"Viscose rayon is the most used of the rayon processes, primarily because it is the least expensive, being competative with cotton."

"C.F. Cross and E.J. Bevan, chemists at Courtalds, Ltd. of Great Britain, obtained patents in 1892 for the chemical processes underlying the viscose process."

"Viscose rayon can be made from purified cellulose, which is prepared by processing wood or cotton linters, or a mixture of the two."

"The first viscose yarn was exhibited in Paris in 1900."

"Rayon is comfortable to wear, it is soft, has excellent draping qualities...'

"Rayon does not accumulate static electricity."

"Rayon may be satisfactorily laundered by the same methods as cotton of similar color and structure, and requires no special care in handling."

"Viscose does not melt when pressed with a hot iron, but it will scorch."

"Clean, dry viscose is rarely attacked by mildew and mold."

"Many fabric makers consider viscose rayon the most versatile and perfect fiber for mixing and blending with other fibers."

Which of course is what poly/viscose is - a blend of polyesther and viscose.

I didn't save the webpage, but earlier was looking for the same info and found a site that said that viscose and rayon are the same thing...but that in Great Britain the fiber is called viscose and in the US its called rayon.

Since the mill is in Great Britain...viscose...

Back to the professor's book, she says, "In 1924, the name rayon was coined and voluntarily adopted by the industry."

Whatever magic the fiber industry works to create viscose/rayon and whatever magic the mill creates to weave polyviscose, I'm sure a happy camper because I love the fabric and the kilts that Rocky and Kelly sew up out of it.

Hope that's more helpful than confusing.

Ron