An Introduction to Viscose, the Synthetic Fabric Likely Hanging in Your Closet

If you've ever peeked at a clothing tag, you may be curious about the semi-synthetic material known as viscose fabric. Chances are, though, you're actually probably pretty familiar with the blend (which sometimes includes rayon) since many clothes are made with it. But that doesn't mean you don't need to learn more about viscose, especially as you prepare to do your next load of laundry.

Viscose users should be wary when washing these garments, especially if they're concerned that their viscose items may shrink. Read on to learn more about viscose, what you need to know about shrinkage, and how you can keep your clothes looking their best longer.

According to the laundry pros at The Laundress blog, viscose is made from regenerated cellulose. In layman's terms, that means that the fibers in viscose are made from chemically treated materials, like those you'd find in wood or plants.

Viscose has been described as lustrous or having a soft feeling. It can also absorb moisture well, but this may make it prone to mold and mildew.

While viscose itself feels light, it can be worn in both the warmer and cooler months, and often makes a great base fabric for mixing with other materials, like spandex.

Improper handling can damage viscose items and cause them to shrink. This is because the fabric itself weakens when wet, which can harm the fibers and cause them to shrink. As such, many clothing items made with this material are marked "dry clean only" and shouldn't be tossed into a normal wash cycle with the rest of your clothing.

If you want to keep your viscose (and your outfits) looking top-notch, pay special attention to those garment labels and follow the manufacturer's instructions. If you want to hedge your bets a bit and err on the side of caution, The Laundress suggests doing a "water test" on an inconspicuous spot of your fabric to see how it will hold up to water exposure before adding it to your next load of laundry.

If the fabric wrinkles or shrinks up, you'll know to send it out to the cleaners, whether it says "dry clean only" or not. If it passes the test, you can handwash your garments in cold water using a detergent designed for delicate fabrics. Once clean, you can rinse and gently roll or press it — never twist or wring dry these fabrics since they are weak when wet — before laying it flat to air dry.

For those who prefer to machine wash, you'll just want to take a few extra steps, turning the items inside out and opting to use a mesh garment bag to keep the fabric from getting damaged.

While viscose does seem to have its benefits, some have strong feelings about the fabric. Take the clothing company TwoThirds, for example. In a statement released by the company, it said it would always pick viscose alternatives when available due to the deforestation caused by sourcing the pulp.

TwoThirds also notes that viscose production creates chemical pollution and excessive use of water when readying products for the market.

Love it or hate it, viscose is popular with some folks. If you're among them, remember to follow the proper washing instructions and you won't have to worry about ruining your garments.