Viscose and cotton: which is better to choose, the pros and cons of both fabrics, reviews and photos

Selecting the proper fabric for your clothing can be difficult, particularly if you have to choose between two popular options like cotton and viscose. Each fabric has distinct qualities, and the decision often comes down to personal preferences for comfort, durability, and style.

Because of its smooth, silky texture and drape, viscose is a popular fabric for airy, flowing outfits. Conversely, cotton is praised for being naturally breathable and comfortable for daily use. But which one ought you to choose?

We’ll examine the benefits and drawbacks of viscose and cotton in this post. To help you see the differences for yourself, we’ll also look at reviews written by users who have worn and worked with these fabrics in addition to a few images.

Briefly about cotton and why it is natural

Cotton yarn is used to make a wide range of textile materials. From the stages of growing raw materials to obtaining fabric, several years pass:

1. The soil for sowing cotton is prepared in the spring. It is cleared and plowed. Carefully remove weeds.
2. Sowing cotton. The plant emerges after 7 days, and by the 11th day after that it already forms a stem. After a month and a half, buds appear, from which buds form within three weeks.
3. Once fully formed, the buds turn into cream-colored flowers that change color, becoming first pink, then red. After 3 days the flowers fall off, leaving a small ovary.
4. A pod is formed from a tiny ovary – a cotton boll.
5. Boll ripening is a long process. It lasts from 55 to 80 days. From the tiny ovary, seeds and fibers are formed, which grow up to 6.4 cm in length in 3 weeks.
6. Over six weeks, the fibers become thicker and split the boll. Wet cream-colored threads dry in the sun, shrink and curl.
7. Cotton is collected and sent to production to separate lint and seeds. To reduce the moisture content, the raw materials are dried, then cleaned on special equipment.
8. Separation of seeds from fiber is carried out using special circular saws.
9. The raw material is removed from the saw brushes by an air stream. Then it is pressed into bales weighing 200 kg and sent to textile factories.
10. In the weaving industry, the purified cotton is sent to a carding machine, where the fibers are straightened and smoothed.
11. The rope obtained on the carding machine is called a tape. It is pulled out and twisted to increase strength. The tape wound on bobbins is called a roving. This is the main raw material for weaving.
12. The roving is pulled out and twisted, producing yarn.
13. Bobbins with yarn are fed to the weaving machine. The threads are wound on a large beam and covered with a lubricant (starch mixture) to increase strength.
14. The weft threads are delivered to the machines using air nozzles at high speed. In the process of creating the fabric, the filling yarn (cross threads, weft) is intertwined with the main.
15. The resulting fabrics are called "gray goods", which are subject to subsequent processing: bleaching, dyeing, printing, etc. .
16. Various types of finishing are applied to cotton fabrics: grinding, washing, mercerization, coating, glazing and burning, depending on the purpose of the material.

The fabric is sent to sewing factories and retail chains for sale after undergoing multiple production and finishing stages. The cost of cotton is many times higher than that of synthetic substitutes. shows excellent hygienic qualities. It’s used in the sewing of summer clothing and infant underwear.

Depending on the type of fiber (combed, compacted, carded or ring, openend), the weave (satin, simple, satin, knitted, etc.), and the finishing techniques, textiles are categorized into different groups. Every variety of cotton fabric is organic. They come from materials found in plants. Health-safe natural or synthetic pigments are used in the dyeing process.

Cotton yarn is used to make the following textile types: flannel, marquisette, poplin, taffeta, marshmallow, kulirka, footer, chintz, calico, flannel, and so on.

A little about viscose and why it is artificial

An artificial fiber made from natural raw materials is called viscose. The 19th century saw the mastery of its production. The primary sources of raw materials are coconut, eucalyptus, beech, and coniferous wood.

The fiber is acquired in multiple steps:

1. Wood is crushed into chips, dried.
2. Prepared raw materials are boiled in an alkaline solution, squeezed out and crushed.
3. Cellulose is treated with carbon disulfide and the mass is left to maturation. The raw material becomes viscous and resistant to acids. At this stage, matting compounds and dyes are introduced.
4. The matured viscose mass is supplied to spinning machines, where the wet mixture passes through spinnerets and is deposited in a bath with an acid solution. In the reagent, the fibers harden, forming threads.
5. Drying and finishing are carried out: the threads are washed, bleached, treated with a soap solution, dried and twisted.

There are various types of fabrics that can be identified based on the raw materials used:

• siblon (made from coniferous wood);
• lyocell (made from eucalyptus);
• modal (beech);
• cupra (from coconut fiber).

A yarn called viscose is used to make knit clothing (jersey, oil, etc.).

The pros and cons of each fabric should be considered when deciding between viscose and cotton for apparel. Cotton is recommended for daily wear due to its natural feel, breathability, and durability. Contrarily, viscose has vivid colors and a silky texture, frequently at a lower cost. But it wrinkles easily and isn’t as sturdy. You can make an informed choice based on your preferences and functional requirements by being aware of these benefits and drawbacks as well as customer testimonials and images.

What fibers can be added to both types

The technological and functional qualities of both cotton and viscose textiles can be enhanced by combining them with other materials and with each other.

• flax – natural fiber of plant origin. Has high hygienic properties. The presence of flax in the fabric increases strength and wear resistance;
• polyester, nylon – synthetic fibers that can increase strength and wear resistance;
• acetate is a synthetic component that is added mainly to viscose fabrics. Provides smoothness, increases the service life of products;
• spandex (elastane, lycra, stretch) – the name of the thinnest synthetic thread made of polyurethane fibers, which has high stretchability. The addition of this component makes the fabric elastic, shape-stable.

Now let"s compare two fabrics and their differences

To determine which is better, viscose or cotton, we compare the materials’ properties. Textiles are composed essentially of the same materials. External indicators make it challenging to differentiate between the two types of fabrics. Additionally, tactile errors are simple to make.

Let’s examine the primary attributes of textiles:

The comparison table shows that viscose and cotton have many of the same characteristics. Cotton fabric has several benefits, such as great strength and dimensional stability. Despite having similar characteristics, viscose is superior in terms of price and external indicators.

One kind of viscose fabric that is comparable in strength and hygroscopicity is modal. Depending on the country of manufacture, the fabric may cost more than cotton fabrics.

Which material is better for you—cotton or viscose—depends on your individual requirements and tastes. A timeless favorite, cotton is perfect for warm weather and daily wear because of its breathability and comfort. Contrarily, viscose has a silky feel and drapes exquisitely, adding an opulent touch for special events or fashionable pieces.

Every fabric has benefits of its own: viscose boasts vivid colors and a smooth texture, while cotton is strong and easy to maintain. Both, however, have disadvantages: viscose may need more careful handling due to its propensity to pill or lose shape when wet, and cotton can shrink and wrinkle.

In the end, the decision is based on your priorities when it comes to attire. Cotton may be the best option if you value traditional comfort and minimal maintenance. However, viscose might be the ideal choice if you’re searching for something sophisticated with a flowing, soft appearance.

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