What is viscose? Couture ideas, origins and ecological alternatives

 

Are you a fan of sewing?

Are you sewing your wardrobe yourself or the clothes of your loved ones?

Maybe you dream of Sew beautiful dresses or fluid skirts, flexible, with beautiful falls? 

Maybe you've already sewn?

To sew fluid and trendy clothes, you have probably already used viscose.

But you may wonder " What is viscose » ?

This is a material that allows you to sew fluid, light, draped, summer clothes ...

Many of the seamstresses favor this material which will make it possible to obtain clothes close to those sold in ready-to-wear.

Viscose is however a very controversial fabric because of the ecological impact that its production represents.

I am Sarah, From the couture blog to do very sweet And for this article on the blog of My little coupon, we are going to focus on viscose.

I wondered about the following questions:

What is viscose? Does ecological viscose exist ? What solution brings the concept of My little coupon in this problem? What can we sew with viscose ?

And here are the answers I could find😊

 

What is viscose?

 

My goal here is not to do a very learned course on the properties and the manufacture of viscose.

I am far from being an expert in the matter.😊

But I find rather interesting to know globally how the fabrics which pass under our feet of hinds are designed and that make up our wardrobe hand-sewn.

What do you think ?😊

Viscose: an artificial material

Viscose is therefore a matter called artificial.

It is used to make chain and frame fabrics but also to make meshes such as jersey.

Viscose is neither quite natural nor completely synthetic.

The raw material used to make viscose is vegetable.

To put it simply, the raw material used to make viscose is cellulose extracted from wood.

The base, therefore, is vegetable. But to transform wood cellulose into wires, a very polluting chemical process is used.

These chemicals (including carbon disulfide) will dissolve wood cellulose to transform it into wires and these products cannot be reused or recycled afterwards.

Viscose is therefore made of artificial fibers : We start from a vegetable raw material to create a fiber per chemical process and it is this process which is both polluting and toxic.

To find out more about this subject, I invite you to read the article by Rose Capsule "What is viscose? »» or Rebecca Deraeck's book Practical fabric guide (This is a very useful book for understanding most of the fabrics!:)))

You can also refer to the article of My Little Coupon « Everything about viscose » 

 

There Viscose: artificial silk

The goal of viscose was first of all that of imitating silk. It has also been called "artificial silk" quite commonly.

The viscose manufacturing process was invented at the end of the 19th century in England, due to a silkworm disease that undermined the silk industry.

This invention will quickly be successful: we can now create clothes in the appearance of silk for much cheaper.

Especially since the properties of viscose have several advantages:

Viscose mixes well with other fibers, allowing to obtain fabrics with a wide variety of properties and to give flexibility and softness to materials that are lacking.

Viscose allows you to have bright colors and prints that last over time.

She then has the properties we know her: viscose is soft, flexible, light, fließend. It has the characteristics of silk while being less delicate to wash and work.

To remember, however: like all materials, there are viscoses of more or less good quality; Depending on the quality of the fabric, the aforementioned properties can be altered!😊

 

Viscose poplin and viscose pancake

 Viscose is a material that you will be able to find in different types of tissue weaving.

It is present in certain stitches, as Viscose jerseys, which will particularly be adapted to the seam of t-shirts or t-shirts dresses for example.

You will also find it in chain and frame weaving among which there is, for example:

• Viscose poplin. It is a fine, soft, woven fabric with chain threads 2 times finer than the frame threads. Viscose poplin is more flexible than a poplin of Baumwolle But she has more outfit than a viscose pancake.

 

• Viscose pancake. Crêpe is a fabric that really has a fall fließend. If the pancake of Baumwolle Available, it is much more widespread in artificial fibers such as viscose. Viscose pancakes will have a fairly crimped textured more at least pronounced. It’s a very fließend Or even plumbing for those who have a strong grammage. This is, for example, the fabric that we use to sew draped dresses and blouses or even fluid skirts.

 

These are the most common viscose fabrics, but you will also be able to find fabrics for viscose that, viscose gabardines, viscose satins, fabrics with mixed materials, containing viscose, sails of viscose (very Fine and fluids)… and also polyester-viscosis mixtures called polyviscosis.

In order not to get lost, I advise you to Hold a notebook with material samples that you will test over your couphers.

This will allow you to more easily locate each type of fabric.

 

Ecological viscoses

As we have seen above, viscose is a fabric whose production is both polluting and toxic.

However, there are new processes that make viscose more respectful of the environment in its manufacture and therefore more ecological.

These are viscoses whose processing process requires no or no chemicals.

Among these more responsible viscoses, you will find viscoses made by The Lyocell process. This process requires non -toxic and recyclable solvent for the transformation of wood cellulose into fibers. Celluloses which constitute the raw material comes from sustainably managed forests. These viscoses made of Lyocell fibers are:

 

• The modal. Modal viscose is made from beech wood cellulose. The water and the chemicals used to make this viscose will be reused and recycled to the maximum. It is a very resistant viscose that requires little maintenance. I invite you to read the article written by The Goodgoods on the subject if it interests you 😊 

 

• Viscose Eco Vero. This viscose is more respectful of the environment than traditional viscose because it is woven from wood cellulose from lasting European forests. The process of transforming wood cellulose into Eco Vero viscose requires less water than a classic viscose. I invite you to read the article dedicated to The Goodgoods.

 

• Tencel. The so -called Tencel viscose is made from eucalyptus cellulose. Its manufacturing process is very economical in water and it is a material that is really resistant in time, as well as washing. Tencel is sometimes called vegetable silk. I invite you to read this article to know more about this ecological viscose. 

 

The modal, the Tencel and the Eco Vero viscose are materials manufactured by the company Lenzing and from approved forests. These viscoses are traceable.

 

An alternative: upcycling and viscoses offered by My little Coupon

If viscose production has a strong ecological impact, for many seamstresses and designers, it is difficult to do without it.

 The properties of this fabric that sublimate our drapes are difficult to replace.

The aforementioned ecological viscoses can be a solution.

But My Little coupon Also offers an alternative.

You no doubt know the concept of My Little Coupon : The brand buys fabrics from end of collections of fashion houses so that we can use them in our sewing projects.

These are quality, high -end and already manufactured fabrics.

My little coupon does not launch any production of fabric and invites us to sew what already exists.

They are, in a way, Upcycling agents.

Also, they put several fabrics for us on the circuit, including viscoses already produced.

You can read their concept in more detail right here. 

 

When you know the environmental impact of viscose manufacturing, it would be a shame not to reuse this already produced viscose and let it sleep in factory stocks.

These fabrics, of which there are little quantity, are waiting for us to be used and transformed ... A new life awaits them in our wardrobes sewn hand!😊

I invite you to consult the offer of viscoses in Upcycler on the site! 

 

Some tips for sewing viscose

Viscose is a fabric fließend And often fleeing which can sometimes give a hard time.

It is akin to silk and can be quite difficult to sew at first.

Do not panic: you can completely tame viscose in sewing.

Before any operation: Lave your viscose in the machine. This type of fabric tends to shrink at the first washing. I invite you to read the advice given in this article on sewing fabrics when you start sewing. 

(In general, it is better to wash all its fabrics before sewing them, at the risk of finding you with a coupette narrowed then.)

 

Material level, I recommend that you use rather fine needles, type microtx (by testing samples of course).

If you are not very comfortable with the cutting of fleeting fabrics, I recommend that you do not make the folds with the fold or even not to cut with the fabric folded in half.

Use maximum weight to help you keep the fabric in place during its cut.

Ironing level: always go back to your viscose on the back and test on fabric samples to check that your iron is not too hot.

 

If you want to make your life easier, you can also choose to starch your viscose before cutting it or sewing it (this will help you stiffen the material during seam).

  There is ready starch or homemade recipes to do it.

 

Some ideas for viscose sewing models

Viscose is above all a summer material, being rather light and fließend.

But there are also heavier and thicker viscoses that will be perfect for dresses or autumn/winter blouses.

Viscose will be particularly suitable for sewing sewing patterns that have:

• Drapes
• Of gathers
• Flywheels

All sewing models that require fluidity and flexibility can be sewn in viscose.

Among these models to sew, you will find mainly:

• Blouses,
• Dresses
• Skirts
• Fluid pants
• Lining

Unless exceptional, viscose will not be suitable for seaming accessories such as handbags or kits.

On the other hand, you will be able to use your viscose falls to make darling, foulchies, headbands ...

In decoration, you can, for example, make pretty draped curtains in viscose.

 

Here is a non -exhaustive list of viscose sewing ideas. (There are so many possibilities of sewing models with this material that it is absolutely impossible to quote everything!😊 )

 

Perfect viscose for sewing fluid skirts

An idea of ​​a long skirt boss with ruffles: the Sistine Sist of Coralie Bijasson

Viscose and in particular viscose pancake will be particularly suitable for sewing fluid skirts, with ruffles.

As an example of the type of long or half-length skirt that you can make in viscose, here is the boss of the Sistine Bijasson Sistine skirt.

You can find this boss here.

 

An idea of ​​a short skirt pattern: the Havana skirt by Cozy Little World

This short, simple skirt pattern will be perfect for starting skirts for example.

Sewn in a viscose, it will have a nice flexible effect, which will also be appreciable for the knotted belt.

You can find this sewing pattern here.

With a viscose coupon, you will also be able to sew elasticated skirts very simple with the length that will suit you.

 Viscose will give them a nice fluidity.

 

Perfect viscose for sewing blouses

Idea of ​​sewing blouse in viscose: the Neroli blouse - The Pink Camelia

With viscose, you can sew blouses and blouses that require flexibility, lightness and fluidity.

This is the case of this version of the Neroli blouse, with the butterfly style sleeves which are most beautiful in a fabric fließend.

There are a multitude of patterns and possibilities for sewing fluid viscose blouses.

Viscose will be suitable for several types of sleeves. You will be able to choose this fabric according to the desired effect.

 If for example you do not want to mark your puffy or gathered sleeves too much, opt for viscose (if you choose a poplin of Baumwolle For example, your puffy sleeves will have more outfit and structure).

You choose your fabric according to the desired effect.

You can find the Neroli blouse right here

 

.

Viscose, perfect material for sewing dresses

Viscose sewing dress idea: Deer and Doe Magnolia dress

In spring/summer, we love sewing dresses.

And viscose is a material that we appreciate to sew dresses, for its lightness and fluidity.

For example, you can sew the very classic Magnolia dress from Deer and Doe in viscose, which you opt for long sleeves or butterfly sleeves.

The boss can be found here.

Of course, the possibilities are endless: you will be able to sew sleeveless dresses, long or short dresses, with or without ruffles with viscose.

It's up to you to play according to your tastes or your style.

NB: Avoid viscose for structured dresses, type tailors.

 

Viscose, perfect for sewing fluid pants

An idea of ​​a pants sewing pattern fließend Viscose sewing: the pants or shorts lison of pretty lab

For those who appreciate wearing fluid pants, viscose will be perfect.

With, for example, the pants of the pants of the pretty lab, you can sew pants or light and fluid shorts for sunny days.

You can find the boss right here.

 

What is viscose? The final word 😊

We have done a quick overview of viscose to better understand what this material is, what type of sewing projects it is intended for and to know the ecological alternatives a little better: the viscoses tencel, modal, eco vero or well those from end of seam house stocks, as My little coupon.

I hope that this article will be useful to you and that you can draw inspiration from your hearts to come.

You can already consult The section of viscoses of My little coupon To prepare sewing projects. 

Good seam and see you soon on the networks!

Sarah @todotoutdoux

 

Record this article for later on Pinterest