What Is Rayon? The Term Explained

Short answer: Rayon is the American word for viscose. It covers manufactured fibres made from cellulose, that is, fibres with a plant as their raw material but produced by a chemical process. If a label says rayon, it is viscose under another name.

Where the word comes from

Rayon came into use in the United States in 1924 as a trade name for the fibre Europe called viscose. The name stuck, which is why clothing from American brands says rayon and the same fabric from European brands says viscose.

What it covers

Rayon covers several fibres all made from cellulose: viscose, modal and lyocell. They differ in how the cellulose is dissolved, and that difference decides how strong the fabric is and how it takes washing.

Viscose is the common one

The classic viscose process is the one used most, including for bamboo viscose. It is the cheapest of the three and gives a very soft fibre, which in return is weaker when wet than the other two.

Modal and lyocell

Modal is a viscose with an extra stretching stage in the process, which makes the fibre stronger. Lyocell is made with a solvent that can be reused in a closed loop and is the strongest of the three, including when wet.

What it means for clothing

Whether the label says rayon, viscose or bamboo viscose, treat it the same: 30 degrees, no boil washes and no hot tumble drying. It is not the name but the process behind it that decides how the fabric behaves in a machine.

Why it confuses

Because the same fabric can have three names. One brand writes rayon, another viscose and a third bamboo viscose about the same thing, and none of them is wrong. It is simply different practice in different countries.

How it feels

All three types feel smooth and soft against the skin and are cooler to put on than cotton. See bamboo T-shirts for men if you want to feel what the difference is from an ordinary cotton T-shirt.

Where it is used

It is used mostly in clothing next to the skin and in clothing meant to drape softly. See bamboo for men and bamboo for women for the categories where the material makes the most difference.

Rayon in a blend

Rayon is often blended with cotton or polyester to make the fabric stronger or cheaper. The blend changes how the garment feels and how it is washed, so the share on the label says more than the word rayon does.

What to look for

Look at the share in the blend rather than at the name. A garment with fifty per cent viscose and fifty per cent polyester feels different from one with ninety per cent, whichever of the three words is on the label. See also the whole truth about bamboo textiles and the honest guide to bamboo and the environment.