Viscose Staple Fibers: Environmentally Friendly Textile Material For Clothing And Home Furnishing

 

Viscose Staple Fibers

Viscose staple fiber is a manufactured fiber made from regenerated cellulose derived from wood pulp or cotton linters through a viscose process. It is commonly referred to simply as viscose, which was one of the first brands to the product. Viscose was invented by the English chemist Cross and Bevan at the English Viscose Company in England in the 1900s. Since then, viscose has become one of the most common types of rayon and one of the most important man-made fibers worldwide.

Production Process of Viscose Fiber

The production of viscose fiber begins with dissolving wood pulp or cotton linters in a solution containing caustic soda and carbon disulfide. This results in cellulose xanthate, which when treated with dilute sulfuric acid forms a viscous solution. The solution passes through spinnerets into a bath of sulfuric acid and sodium sulfate to regenerate almost pure cellulose fibers. The Viscose Staple Fiber are washed, bleached, dried and cut or crimped into staple lengths ready to be processed into yarns for further manufacturing.

Key Properties of Viscose Staple Fiber

Some key properties of viscose fiber that make it suitable for textile and non-textile applications include:

- Similar feel to cotton: Viscose fibers have a beautiful drape and feel very similar to natural fibers like cotton. This makes fabrics made from viscose fibers very soft and comfortable against the skin.

- Absorbency: Viscose fibers have good absorbency properties and can absorb up to 27% of their weight in moisture without feeling wet. This makes fabrics from viscose suitable for clothing and home textiles.

- Easy dyeing: Viscose fibers readily accept dyes of various kinds - acid dyes, basic dyes, direct dyes, etc. and can be dyed in wide ranges of colors. This allows designers and manufacturers to produce colorful viscose fabrics.

- Eco-friendly: The production process of viscose utilizes natural and renewable wood pulp or agricultural waste as raw material. It is biodegradable and compostable at the end of the product's life.

- Washable: Viscose fibers retain their shape and don't lint or felt even after repeated washings. Fabrics made from viscose can be machine washed using mild detergents.

Applications of Viscose Fiber

Given its properties, viscose fiber finds wide usage in following applications:

Clothing fabrics: A major application is apparel fabrics like shirts, blouses, dresses, underwear, etc. Viscose blended with cotton or modal provides a soft comfortable wear.

Home furnishing: Viscose yarns are used to produce curtains, upholstery fabrics, bed linen, and other home textiles due to their absorbency and durability.

Industrial fabrics: Viscose fiber yarns are utilized in the production of various industrial fabrics like conveyor belts, carpet backings, tire cords, hoses etc.

Hygiene products: Absorbent hygiene products such as disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, adult incontinence products contain viscose as a core component.

Nonwovens:Viscose is a key material used in the nonwovens industry for the production of wipes, pads, medical fabrics, geotextiles and more.

Viscose Vs Other Man-Made Fibers

While viscose competes with other man-made fibers, it holds certain advantages over its competitors:

- Lower cost than modal but offers superior moisture absorbency and dyeability than modal.

- More environmentally sustainable than synthetic fibers like polyester which are non-biodegradable. Viscose can degrade when disposed or composted.

- Superior texture and less plastic-like hand-feel than lyocell or Tencel which can be dry to the touch. Viscose feels closer to natural cotton.

- Finer fibers than bamboo derived rayons which may have a coarser feel. Viscose offers pleasant comforting drape.

Challenges Faced By Viscose Industry

Despite being renewable, biodegradable and cost-competitive, viscose faces some pressing challenges:

- Switch to more sustainable sources: Currently many viscose producers rely on tree plantations leading to deforestation. Alternate sources of lignocellulose need to be tapped.

- Improve production efficiency: The viscose production process requires high usage of harmful chemicals like carbon disulfide. Newer bio-based or 'green' technologies are being developed but need commercialization.

- Address 'greenwashing' concerns: Some viscose products do not biodegrade easily if contaminated with dyes, plastics or elastane. Strict guidelines and certifications are required to promote truly sustainable viscose.

- Lack of consumer awareness: Most consumers are unaware of viscose's lignin-based origin and biodegradability. Marketing campaigns can help improve viscose's brand image as an eco-textile.

With renewed global focus on sustainability, demand for environment-friendly fibers is on the rise. Viscose staple fiber, being lignin-based, renewable and biodegradable presents a viable alternative to synthetic materials. While challenges remain, ongoing research aims to make viscose production even greener. If marketed and produced responsibly, viscose has huge prospects to contribute significantly towards a more circular textile economy.

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