Viscose, everywhere!!

[benjaminny]

Why?!
Especially ‘LENZING ECOVERO’ (always in capitals, no idea why!)

Anyone know why everything is blooming viscose? Is it a genuine attempt to be eco friendly (is that what ‘ecovero’ is all about?!) or is it just plain cheaper??

Green washing! There's always been viscose, although variations of / mixes, but now it is like they are turning the use of certain fabrics / recycled polyesters etc., etc., into a religion. Don't get me started on faux leathers, when most break down after a few years, as do many leather goods coated in plastics to enhance the look and cover up for the poor quality base materials. All about the money really and they are using the environment as an excuse to squeeze the pennies from consumers imo.

Lenzing ecovero and tencel are fabrics made from processed wood pulp.

They are as natural or unnatural as cotton. They are both arguably better environmentally as apparently they require less water and chemicals than cotton and can be grown on poorer quality soil.

It's capitalised because it's a trademark.

It's not just green washing.

Sustainable fabric review.

I'd much rather wear viscose and ecovero than polyester (if I can't get cotton).

I'm not hung up on avoiding polyester - there's polyester and there's polyester - depends on the garment.

Recycled polyester, and Ecovero Lenzing and Tencel probably are better for the environment than non organic cotton or non GOTS cotton.

I’m not that big a fan of viscose but I have two lovely summer dresses made from LENZING ECOVERO (adding the capitals for my own amusement 😂) and I have to say I absolutely LOVE the fabric, it was so cool to wear on hot days and feels incredibly soft. Doesn’t crumple as much as other viscose either.

I think it's a.very good thing for plastics to be recycled into viscose if people are wearing it and enjoying it. I think I have only one item made out of it, and it looks gorgeous but I sweat the hell out of it. It's a Topshop summer playsuit and I love it to bits!

It is everywhere, and it isn't always the cheaper option! I hate the feel of it myself.

Thanks all!
Next question: how does it hold up in tropical climes? I’m going to Mexico in February and looking for dresses, will LENZING ECOVERO be sticky??

Why is everyone SHOUTING? 😆

I bought a dress made of LENZING ECOVERO and washed it according to the instructions — in fact, even more carefully, because I had been warned about shrinkage. It shrank so much that I can no longer wear it.

I assumed it was my fault so I bought another one, because I loved it, and the same damn thing happened.

Never again

@CavalierApproach at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, have you tried ironing it?

You’re probably less daft than me, but I have a LENZING ECOVERO dress that shrunk and it didn’t occur to me to iron it until someone pointed it out. It’s alright again now

OP - I agree viscose is everywhere. Is it because people now know to dislike polyester and not to buy it so this is the next cheapest option

@MotherofAllMatriarchs I did try, but thank you. I think that might even have been suggested in the care instructions. Clearly it sometimes works and I’m glad it did for you! But it didn’t bring it all the way back and it was still a full size too small afterwards. It gaped between buttons across the front in a very depressing way.

Fashion designer here - viscose is lovely! Environmentally friendly and much better than polyester (which will make you sweat). It's great that more companies are using viscose more. It used to be more expensive than polyester so polyester was always the default choice.
For your holiday go for viscose, linen, linen/viscose mixes, cotton.

I really like some types of viscose , especially bamboo viscose . Recently bought a viscose /cashmere blend scarf, it’s a revelation.. so soft and warm and a fraction of the price of cashmere of course.

I taught Textile Science for years. Viscose is nasty. Full of chemicals, even Tencel. Tencel is just more environmentally friendly.

Its weak and makes me itch. Heavy weight ones look ok, but lightweight stuff looks rubbish. It also makes me sweat. It’s not a natural fibre in the same sense that cotton or linen are.

I've never encountered lenzing eco-or-no-eco, but Viscose has been everywhere for a few years now. I don't like the feel of it. I have one jumper that's partially viscose and it's okay, but I got a viscose top from my mother some time ago and couldn't wear it.

In terms of recycled polyester, outside of things that are typically polyester like fleece, rather than recycling plastic into clothes, we should produce less plastic in the first place. There's so much excess packaging around.

Hate it next to my skin- itchy, sweaty, clingy. Yuk!

I love viscose- it falls beautifully and I find it so, so comfortable- much more so than my linen (I look like I'm wearing a creased bag 5 mins after wearing it) or cotton (so stiff) clothes.

Ps. I like viscose just for dresses. My jumpers/cardigans are all different kinds of wool.

The shops shout at us, so I’m shouting back!
(no idea btw, PP said it’s because it’s trademarked. I see ‘jazz hands’ every time I read it 😆)

Cotton isn't environmentally friendly. And uses chemicals too, including insecticide.

Plastic isn't recycled into viscose. Plastic and polyester are recycled into recycled plastic and recycled polyester. Viscose is a wood pulp.

Viscose fools you into thinking it might be nice. Drapes well when new. But you boil in it and you have to iron it to return it vaguely to its original size.

Are polyester and acrylic the same?
@Dirtymartini10 which are the most sustainable and/or green fabrics?