What is Viscose Fabric?
Many times we got some inquiry from buyer for viscose fabric. It is a Soft and lightweight fabric. Viscose is a semi-synthetic type of rayon fabric made from wood pulp that is used as a silk substitute, as it has a similar drape and smooth feel to the luxury material. Thought this fabric has some advantages, but also it has so many disadvantages which found in the dyeing process. Viscose fabrics have been modified to improve the attraction for metal oxides such as aluminium, zinc, or titanium in order to impart antimicrobial activity against two types of microorganisms.
Viscose fabric is not a common fabric like as cotton. The hand feelings of this fabric are same as silk and soft. It is a versatile fabric used for clothing items such as blouses, dresses, and jackets, and around the home in carpets and upholstery. Viscose fibers exhibit highest expansion in wet state, which also leads to the so-called “wet stiffness” of viscose fabrics. As a result of the high water uptake, a substantial decrease in wet tensile strength is observed with viscose fibers. The high water uptake of viscose fibers is the reason for their extensive use in hygiene products where high absorbency is expected, while maximum tensile strength in wet state is less important.
Viscose yarn is a kind of yarn which made from cellulose base. Viscose is a type of man made fiber but it is not a synthetic fiber like as polyester, because it is made from natural materials, but it is heavily chemical processed.
Advantages of Viscose Fabric:
Viscose fabric is the type of cloth based on artificially obtained fibers of cellulose origin. Fabric which is made from viscose yarn is that takes dyes very well, so that, we can work with a wide variety of colors. Viscose fabrics are very shiny; also it stays bright and colorful throughout the life of the products made with it. So, if you want to work with various kind of bold and colorfast fabrics then you can choose viscose.
Disadvantages of Viscose Fabric:
- Fabric tearing possibility is very high during the dyeing process.
- If the fabric remain wet for long times then some spot creates on it’s, which removal process is very difficult. But in cotton fabric we can do this very easily.
- If the fabric dyed uneven then it is very difficult to remove.
- During the dyeing process if we fail to maintain the temperature and pressure properly then fabric strength will be reduce.
Dyeing Process of 100% Viscose Fabric:
Actually viscose dyeing process is almost same as single jersey cotton spandex fabric. However, please find below the step by step viscose fabric dyeing process.
1st Step: Scouring (detergent wash) the fabric in the dyeing winch and released the water for perform the next process.
2nd Step: Labeling the fabric by labeling agent which increased the pH of fabric.
3rd Step: Soda / Salt wash.
4th Step: Mixing the specific color (reagent) for dye the fabric. Or if fabric color is white then we used brightener chemical in this step. And step 06 is not require for white color fabric.
5th Step: Acid wash (after released color mixing water)
6th Step: Color fixing by fixer.
Finishing Process of the Fabric (After Dyeing):
7th Step: Slitting
8th Step: Stentering (heat settings) for dia adjust.
9th Step: Open compacting for control shrinkage of fabric length.
Now the fabric is ready for cutting. Please test the Shrinkage, Color shade, GSM before start cutting.
However, I always suggest everybody to avoid the order with viscose fabrics. Because dyeing of this is very risky and costly also.
Hope, it will be helpful for all of you.
Author of This Article:
Enamul Haque Bipul
Apparel Merchandiser
You may also like:
- Flow Chart of Viscose Fabric Dyeing Process
- Viscose Rayon: A Regenerated Cellulosic Fiber
- Silk Dyeing Process
- Basic Concept of Dyeing of Animal Fibers (Wool and Silk)
- Dyeing of Polyester Microfiber Fabric and Its Application in Textile
- Dyeing of Wool with Onion Skin
Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.