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Does Viscose Shrink? (Explained In Detail)

Everyone wants to look good and in this part of good-looking take part clothes having the main role. There are many materials from which many clothes are made, and I would like to stop and mention one of them, viscose!

Viscose is a material that belongs to the rayons group and it is used in different types of clothes for both women and men.

Still, there is a question that is “flying around,” which is generally related to viscose, and it has caught my attention lately. The question is: does viscose shrink? I am pretty sure that you have asked yourselves that question at least once in your life!

I am glad to say that in this article, you will be able to find out whether viscose shrinks and also I will mention some other essential things that you may want to know about this type of material.

Don’t let me lose your time; let me get straight to the main topic!

Key Takeaways

  • Viscose does indeed shrink. It may shrink if you wash it at a high temperature, like 40 degrees. You must wash viscose clothing at lower temps in order to avoid this issue.
  • To be safe, you should try using water that is 20 degrees or more lukewarm. Your viscose garment can be hand-washed, and after let air dry. Always err on the side of caution.
  • Moisture is the primary cause of viscose shrinkage. Clothing made of viscose is an extremely delicate fabric that dislikes being wet, especially if it comes into contact with warm or hot water.

Does Viscose Fabric Shrink?

Viscose is a delicate fabric that can shrink quickly, but some specifications are worth mentioning!

The Reason Why Viscose Fabric Shrinks:

The main reason that makes viscose shrink is moisture. Viscose garments are a very soft material that doesn’t really like to be wet, especially if it is in contact with warm or hot water. That’s basically because this material has some slight artificial fibers that cannot be in touch with hot water.

You must keep in mind that washing viscose garments in a washing machine is the death of it. You should always but always hand wash viscose so that you can prevent it from shrinking. 


Viscose: Things to Know

Viscose is a material that is used in many different clothes, but still, it is one of those that you can mostly find in dresses. It is known as a manmade material because it owns artificial fibers of rayon mostly and you should know that every material that is listed as manmade means that it is done artificially by people.

Now even though viscose can get shrunken easily, there is something good about it: viscose is very comfortable. Every kind of cloth you may own made of viscose is super soft and, most importantly, lightweight.

This type of material is definitely great if you are thinking of wearing clothes during the hot weather of the summer season. As I mentioned, it is lightweight, and also something worth mentioning is the fact that it is an affordable material compared to silk, and it looks a lot like it.

Also, viscose can be dyed, and it maintains the color for a pretty long period of time. I think that I should definitely mention some other facts about viscose.

Viscose is known as the material that:

  • drapes easily
  • viscose is smooth
  • it is very light
  • it is super soft
  • while wearing it, you will feel very comfortable
  • it is affordable
  • it is also known as robust

Frequently Asked Questions

What is viscose made of?

Viscose is made from a combination of trees such as pines, eucalyptus, and beech. Also, you will find some other information in which is said that this material includes bamboo, soy, and sugar cane. Based on them, you can notice how naturally made this material is.

How to prevent shrinking viscose clothing?

Being a material that can be easily shrunk, you should know that the best way to prevent this is to wash viscose clothes by hand and it has its own procedure.

How should I handwash viscose clothing?

First thing first, stick to cold water! Viscose loves cold water as it will help you stay perfect! The process of handwashing viscose goes like this:

Put two cups of detergent wherever you are thinking of washing it, and let your viscose cloth stay there for about 30 minutes. After those minutes, you will have to take it out and rinse it with cool water.

Never wring viscose, as you can damage its fibers, and once you do so, besides shrinking it, you will not be able to wear your viscose clothes ever again!

Is viscose clothing environmentally friendly?

Made of trees, basically, this material is more than environment friendly; it is the environment itself! Jokes aside, yes! Viscose is considered an environmentally friendly material as it doesn’t own toxic materials within.

Where does viscose clothing stand compared to other materials?

As I mentioned in the article, viscose is a material considered a cheaper type of silk, so it mostly stands in the silk group. However, many people prefer viscose over other materials, and that’s not something that should surprise you. Having great characteristics and being affordable, it sure has a good place.

Can I iron viscose clothing?

Yes, you can! Still, I would like to advise you to check out the temperature of your iron as it shouldn’t be at its maximum way. You can iron viscose clothes at a minimal level of heat.


Final Words

My fellow readers, here we came at the end of this article, where I mentioned some important information regarding viscose as a material.

You understood that viscose could be shrunk, but also I mentioned the ways how you could prevent that, so I don’t think this is an issue that you should worry about a lot.

I hope that in this article, I have covered whatever you may need and now you have a clearer idea about viscose in general!


Further Reading

As in this article, I mentioned a type of material; I cannot help but mention some other articles related to this shrinking fact!

You can easily find whether rayon shrinks or if polyester can be shrunk!

In case you are a fan of embroidery, there are some great hat embroidery machines that you can find in the market.

If you have questions about tailors, I can mention some of them to you, including whether a tailor can make pants bigger, can your tailor make dresses bigger, or if a tailor can make a shirt bigger.

Check those articles out, and stay tuned for more!