RAYON JILLIAN & PA NOU
Figure 1: Rayon is most commonly used for drapery.
The maintenance requirements for rayon are quite simple. It is recommended to hand wash rayon fabrics due to the fact that this material is incredibly delicate. Any item made of rayon can be dampened with warm water, and washed with a mild detergent. After the soap is soaked in for three to five minutes, you may dry the fabric on a flat surface until it is completely dry. It is recommended to avoid hang drying, due to the fact that rayon can easily lose its shape. Because this material is absorbent to moisture, however, it does not take long for rayon to dry! Rayon, being a cellulose fabric, can get easily damaged by bleach or acid. Using chlorine bleach will reduce the lifespan of the fabric. To remove stains or whiten the fabric, you can use bleach, but in an extremely diluted form.
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ASTM D629 - 15 is the Standard Test Methods for Quantitative Analysis of Textiles
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ASTM D885 - 02 is the Standard Test Methods for Tire Cords, Tire Cord Fabrics, and Industrial Filament Yarns Made from Man-Made Organic-Base Fibers
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ASTM D4920 - 13 is the Standard Terminology Relating to Conditioning, Chemical, and Thermal Properties
Figures 3,4,5: Rayon has the ability to absorb dye very easily, and can be found in a variety of colors because of this.
Figure 6: Designer Linea Matei uses rayon to create a scarf design that is inspired by people and how they connect.
RAYON is a synthetic fiber, which means that it is a manmade material meant to replicate natural fibers. This material is manufactured mainly from the pulp of wood cellulose fiber. Depending on the process, it can serve as a less expensive alternative to silk. This way people can still achieve a rich look at a much lower price. Aside from its low cost, there are also a lot of other characteristics of rayon that allow this material to outshine others. Because rayon fibers are readily absorbent, any colored dyes added to the fabric easily set in and are displayed upon the fabric as very vibrant, which is why we oftentimes see this material being presented in such bright colors. This material is also known to be very soft, and very absorbent to moisture too. Because of this, we see rayon popularly used in the fashion world, but that is not the only way this material is used. In fact, rayon is known to be a very versatile fabric, where it not only used for clothing, but also commonly used for bed sheets, drapery, and sometimes upholstery too. It's indoor air quality is something else rayon is well known for, where this thin fiber has incredible breathability, and is a more comfortable choice of fabric than others depending on its purpose of use.
Although there are a lot of positive characteristics to this material, there are also some negatives to using this material as well. Back when rayon was first introduced, history came to realize that rayon is an incredibly flammable fabric. Now, rayon is safer to use than it was in the past, due to the fact that chemicals have been added to make it flame resistant, but it still an important factor when considering where to use this material in an interior space. Rayon also wrinkles very easily, which is why drapery is the most common use of this material in interiors, and in clothing. It is very rare to use rayon for upholstery solely for this reason, but it can be seen on certain occasions.
Figure 2: Although it may be rare, rayon can be used on upholstery to help bring color into an interior space.
Some sustainable characteristics of rayon is that it is made from renewable raw materials, cellulose from wood and that it is biodegradable. The production of rayon (viscose) costs less water than the production of cotton. However, the production of rayon has a negative impact on the environment. For example, much of the wood used for rayon comes from endangered jungles and can cause deforestation. For rayon to obtain some of its characteristics, many chemicals are used. With the use of many chemicals to “perfect” rayon into a favorable fabric, the possibility of it being biodegradable decreases. The chemical process for creating rayon is so toxic, bad for the environment and does not meet EPA’s standards. Not all rayon is made with chemicals. But without these chemicals the amount of natural resources needed to be pulped to create rayon is increased. In addition, without the chemicals, rayon will lack some of its favorable characteristics.
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European Man-Made Fibres Association (CIRFS)
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Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI)
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Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA)
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Dharma Trading Co.
