Viscose Explained: The Fibre That Sounds Natural but Isn’t Simple

Viscose is one of the most common fibres in fashion — and one of the most misunderstood.

You may see it on labels as viscose, rayon, modal, lyocell, bamboo viscose, TENCEL™ Lyocell or LENZING™ ECOVERO™. 

It can be soft, fluid, breathable and a better alternative to polyester in many garments. But viscose is not as simple as the words “plant-based”, “wood-based” or “bamboo” can make it sound.

In this solo episode of Responsible Fashion Lab, Maria explains what viscose actually is: a regenerated cellulose fibre that usually starts with wood, bamboo or another plant source, but becomes fabric through chemical processing.

The episode looks at the two big concerns with conventional viscose — forest sourcing and chemical processing — and explains how modal and lyocell differ from standard viscose. It also unpacks why “bamboo fabric” is often bamboo viscose or bamboo rayon, rather than a simple natural bamboo fibre.

Maria also explains what shoppers should look for on a label or product page, including LENZING™ ECOVERO™, TENCEL™ Lyocell, FSC, PEFC, CanopyStyle, clear fibre percentages and brand disclosure.

A practical episode for anyone who wants to understand viscose more clearly — not to dismiss it, but to know when it is a better option, when it needs more questions, and how to avoid vague material claims.

In this episode:

• What viscose is and why it is called a regenerated cellulose fibre
• Why viscose is plant-based in origin but man-made in production
• The key concerns with conventional viscose
• The difference between viscose, rayon, modal and lyocell
• Why “bamboo fabric” is often not what it sounds like
• Why forest sourcing matters
• What LENZING™ ECOVERO™ and TENCEL™ Lyocell tell us
• How FSC, PEFC and CanopyStyle fit into the picture
• What to check before buying viscose, modal or lyocell garments