Along with food and shelter, clothes are also an essential need of human beings. For generations, humans use cotton and silk as their clothing material. With the help of new technology, now humans are producing new fabrics. Rayon and Viscose are two different types of textile fabrics that are very popular in the current market.
Both of these fabrics are manufactured through industrial processes. For this reason, many people find it difficult to find any distinction between them. They think both of these fabrics are the same.
Rayon vs Viscose
The main difference between Rayon and Viscose is that Rayon is a type of textile fabric that is made through the Cellulose Immersion process and made from wood pulp and the fabric has a high absorption capacity, while Viscose is a type of textile fabric that is made through Cellulose xanthate process and made from Plant fibers and the fabric has less absorption capacity.
Comparison Table Between Rayon and Viscose (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter of Comparison | Rayon | Viscose |
|---|---|---|
| What is it | A type of textile fabric which is made through Cellulose Immersion process and made from wood pulp. | A type of textile fabric which is made through Cellulose xanthate process and made from Plant fibers. |
| Used in | Medical and furnishing sectors | Dress materials |
| Texture | Cool | Soft |
| absorption capacity | High | Low |
| Price | Low | High |
| Durability | Low | High |
| Manufacturing process | eco-friendly | Not eco-friendly |
What is Rayon?
Rayon is a type of textile fabric that is made through the Cellulose Immersion process and made from wood pulp. During the manufacturing process, there are many chemicals used but the scientist does not consider this textile as synthetic. The primary reason behind this classification is that rayon fabric is modified versions of natural polymers.
Compared to other cotton textiles, Rayon fabric has a high absorption capacity. Most often use of Rayon fabric can be found in the furnishing sector, where it is used for curtains, bed-sheets, and blankets. The medical sector also uses this fabric for surgical masks and bandages. The fabric quickly absorbs liquid around it and keeps the wounded place dry.
The manufacturing process of Rayon fabric is eco-friendly. The production process requires less energy and less toxic chemicals. As a result, the price of Rayon fabric is very inexpensive. However, the Rayon fabric is not very durable. The solvent in the water and ultraviolet radiation of the sun breaks the polymer chains easily. For this reason, Rayon fabric does not resistance to weather and dissolves quickly in the earth.
Rayon fabric is very porous and it let air circulate through the fabric easily. Therefore, it is considered as one of the best hypoallergenic fabric.
What is Viscose?
Viscose is a type of textile fabric that is made through the Cellulose xanthate process and made from Plant fibers. Viscose textile is also considered as manufactured fabric because this process dissolves plant fabric first and then regenerates it through chemical processes.
Compared to other textiles, Viscose fabric has softness. For this reason, this material is often seen in the clothing industry, where it is used as shirts, pants, jackets, coats, linings, and other dresses. Due to high softness property, it is also used as disposable wipes. Many people also use this fabric to clean the touch-screen surface of the cell phone and other sophisticated electronics.
The manufacturing process of Viscose fabric is not very eco-friendly. The production process requires lots of energy and many toxic chemicals. As a result, the price of Viscose fabric is very expensive. As a benefit, the Viscose fabric is very durable. The most solvent in water and the ultraviolet radiation of the sun is not able to break the polymer chains of this fabric easily. As a result, Viscose fabric is very resistant and last a longer period.
Viscose fabric is not very porous and it does not let the air circulate through the fabric easily. Therefore, it may cause some allergic reaction to a few peoples.
Main Differences Between Rayon and Viscose
Conclusion
Although for a long time humans have used cotton and silk as textile material, now to huge market demand mass production of these materials is not possible. Instead, a majority of the textile industry is using manufactured fabrics. Rayon and Viscose are two manufactured fabrics that are very popular in the market.
Due to the improvement in manufacturing technology, both of these fabrics are available in the market at a comparatively low price. They offer a cool and soft texture and let us use them for different purposes. Now, many people are using these fabrics as per their requirements. Some of them are using for clothing, some of them use for medical purposes, etc.
References
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