A Family Tree of Fibres
I am on a fashion budget. What a sad state of affairs. Fortunately I am a brilliant op-shopper, a superb eBay spotter-and-clicker, and bargain-hunter extraordinaire, so you can’t tell. However, I still firmly believe in quality.
One of the main things I will look for in my bargains is fabric content. Natural fibres of course feel more luxurious, but more importantly they breathe. They keep you warm or cool according to the season, and you won’t sweat under them like you do with synthetics.
Natural fibres of course feel more luxurious, but more importantly they breathe.
By accident, I learned quite a few years ago that Rayon is a natural fibre. Well, actually, it is technically a semi-synthetic fabric, as it is manufactured from regenerated cellulose fibre; ie, wood pulp. That’s good enough for me!
It is very versatile, able to imitate the feel and texture of silk, wool, cotton and linen, and always feels lovely and cool in the hand when you do the Crush Test. In Europe it is known as Viscose; Rayon is its American name. It was invented donkey’s years ago – commercial production began in 1891 – which is why you’ll find many vintage clothes are made from rayon.
Moving right along about 100 years, (106 to be exact) we land on Lyocell (left). I have come across this fibre only recently, but I have discovered it has also been marketed under the trademarked name of Tencel. Who remembers Tencel jeans in the mid to late Eighties? They were all the rage for a while then Levis eclipsed them again. But, importantly, Lyocell is also made from wood pulp cellulose!
At least there is little byproduct from the manufacturing process, so it is relatively eco-friendly, unlike Rayon.
Then, as we move along the family tree (pardon the pun), we arrive at Modal, which is essentially a variety of Rayon, and is made from the wood pulp of beech trees – as opposed to your basic garden variety, I presume. It is often mixed with spandex fibres, and makes a smooth, soft fabric that is resistant to shrinkage and fading, like its cousin Lyocell.
I have discovered, to my sorrow, that moths adore chewing on Lyocell much more than Viscose; it must be higher on their list of delicacies. So keep those cedar balls handy!