What is Rayon?
Rayon, also known as viscose, is marketed in some countries as cactus silk, and is a semi-synthetic fiber made from natural sources of regenerated cellulose, such as wood, bamboo, or related agricultural products. Rayon has the same molecular structure as cellulose. There are many types of viscose fibers. Some mimic the feel and texture of natural fibers, such as silk, wool, cotton, and linen. Types that resemble silk are often called artificial silk.
Origin:
In 1894, English chemist Charles Frederick Cross and his collaborators, Edward John Bevan and Clayton Beadle, patented their artificial silk. They called it "viscose" because its production involved the intermediation of a very viscous solution (perhaps that is why many people call it "Vâszoză" in Romanian).
The name "rayon" was adopted in 1924, with "viscose" being used for the viscous organic liquid used to make both rayon and cellophane. In Europe, however, the fabric itself became known as "viscose".
Rayon is a versatile fiber and lends itself to a wide range of products. It has the same comfort properties as natural fibers, although the flow of rayon textiles is more similar to nylon textiles. Rayon can mimic the feel and texture of silk, wool, cotton, and linen. The fibers are easily dyed in a wide range of colors. Rayon fabrics are soft, smooth, cool, comfortable, and highly absorbent, but they do not always hold heat, making them ideal for use in hot, humid climates.
The chemical composition and origin of Rayon, Viscose, Tencel, Cupro and Modal are similar. They are all semi-natural fibers.
In the vast majority of cases, textile products made from these materials can be machine washed and ironed.