Viscose Yarn: A Plant-Based Fibre | Fancy Yarns Australia

Viscose is one of the most widely used plant-derived fibres in yarn and one of the most misunderstood. It's often described simply as "eco-friendly," which isn't quite the full story. Here's what viscose actually is, how it's made, what to know about its environmental impact and when to reach for it in your projects.

What Is Viscose Yarn?

Viscose, a type of rayon, is a semi-synthetic fibre made from cellulose, most often sourced from wood pulp. The wood typically comes from fast-growing trees and plants such as bamboo, eucalyptus, beech or pine.

The reason it's called "semi-synthetic" rather than natural or synthetic is down to the production process. The raw material is plant-derived, but turning that raw material into fibre requires significant chemical processing, enough that the finished fibre behaves more like a manufactured material than an untreated natural one.

The result is a soft, smooth fibre with a natural sheen, a fluid drape and excellent dye uptake. It's this combination of properties (closer to silk than to cotton in feel) that has made viscose a popular and affordable yarn choice for well over a century.

How Is Viscose Yarn Made?

Understanding the production process is the key to understanding viscose, both its benefits and its complications.

1. Sourcing the wood

Trees are harvested and the wood is broken down into pulp. Producers with strong sourcing practices use fast-growing, sustainably managed forests or plantations rather than old-growth or endangered forest.

2. Purifying the cellulose

The wood pulp is treated to remove lignin and other impurities, leaving purified cellulose.

3. Chemical processing

This is the step that makes viscose semi-synthetic rather than natural. The purified cellulose is treated with sodium hydroxide to create alkali cellulose, then reacted with carbon disulfide to produce cellulose xanthate, a viscous, honey-like liquid, which is where the fibre gets its name.

4. Spinning into fibre

The viscose solution is extruded through spinnerets into an acid bath, which solidifies the liquid back into solid cellulose filaments. These filaments are washed, bleached and spun into yarn.

This chemical conversion is more resource-intensive than most people expect from a natural fibre, and it's the part of the process that's often left out of marketing.

The Environmental Picture: What to Actually Know

The chemical processing is genuinely intensive. 

Producing viscose uses substantial water and energy, and the process involves carbon disulfide and sodium hydroxide, chemicals that require careful handling and treatment to avoid environmental harm. Older or poorly regulated facilities have historically released contaminated wastewater, and this remains a real concern in parts of the industry.

Sourcing matters more than most people realise. 

Because viscose starts as wood pulp, the forests it comes from are a significant environmental factor. Environmental organisations, including the non-profit Canopy, have documented cases where viscose production has been linked to logging in ancient and endangered forests, including parts of Indonesia and Canada's boreal forest. This is a legitimate industry-wide concern, not a fringe issue, which is why sourcing certification matters.

Certification is the practical answer. 

Look for viscose that carries FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification, which confirms the wood came from responsibly managed forests rather than at-risk or old-growth ones. Many major producers have also committed to Canopy's CanopyStyle initiative, which independently audits sourcing practices.

Newer processes are addressing the chemical concerns. 

Producers like Lenzing have developed lower-impact viscose production methods that significantly reduce water use, energy consumption and chemical emissions compared to conventional viscose. We stock yarn made using one of these methods called EcoVero, a certified viscose that uses at least 50% less water and carbon than standard viscose production. If sourcing and processing matter to you, that's the version of viscose worth seeking out.

It's still biodegradable. 

Because it's cellulose-based rather than petroleum-based, viscose does biodegrade at the end of its life, which sets it apart from fully synthetic fibres like polyester or acrylic.

Viscose Still Has a Place

None of this is a reason to rule viscose out. Fibre choice isn't only about environmental impact; it's also about accessibility.

For makers with sensory sensitivities or allergies to wool or other fibres, viscose offers a plant-based option that's smooth and soft against the skin without the itch or reactivity some people experience with other fibres. For makers on a budget, viscose gives you a the sheen and drape of silk at a fraction of the price.

A yarn doesn't need to be the "most sustainable" option available to be a good choice. It needs to be the right choice for the maker, the project and the budget in front of them.

Viscose, worked with intention and sourced as thoughtfully as your circumstances allow, is a beautiful and useful fibre to have in your toolkit.

There's also a practical, technical side to this. Some projects need what viscose brings: drape that wool can't replicate, sheen that cotton doesn't have or the way it tempers a scratchier fibre when blended in. A wool-viscose blend gets a softer hand and better sheen without losing wool's warmth. A cotton-viscose blend drapes better than cotton alone. In these cases, viscose isn't a lesser substitute for "better" fibres. It's doing a specific job that nothing else quite does as well.

Environmental impact is a real and important part of choosing a yarn, but it's one factor among several alongside performance, accessibility, budget and what the project actually needs to succeed.

What Does Viscose Feel Like to Work With?

Regardless of which version you're using, viscose has some consistent properties in the hand and on the needle:

• A smooth, soft texture with a natural sheen

• Excellent drape, fluid rather than structured

• Good breathability, making it a comfortable choice for warm-weather garments

• Strong dye uptake, resulting in vibrant, rich colour

• Limited elasticity compared to wool, and a tendency to stretch with wear

• Some shrinkage risk when exposed to water, so care during washing and blocking matters

What Is Viscose Yarn Good For?

Viscose works well across knitting, crochet and weaving, particularly for:

• Lightweight tops, blouses and summer cardigans

• Shawls, wraps and drapey scarves

• Projects where sheen and colour vibrancy matter

• Blends that add softness or drape to more structured fibres

Viscose is also commonly used in blends. Combined with cotton, it adds breathability and softness for warm-weather garments. Blended with wool, it introduces a subtle sheen and softens the overall texture. Paired with silk, it creates a fluid, glossy yarn well suited to delicate or detailed projects.

Tips for Working with Viscose Yarn

Swatch first

Viscose has limited elasticity and a different hand-feel to protein fibres like wool. A swatch will help you understand gauge and drape before committing to a project.

Mind your tension

Viscose can stretch with wear, particularly in garments with weight or length. A slightly firmer tension can help finished pieces hold their shape.

Wash with care

Viscose is prone to shrinking when wet. Hand wash in cool water and lay flat to dry rather than hanging, which can stretch the fabric out of shape.

Block gently

A light steam or damp block will help open up stitches and show off the fibre's natural drape.

Choosing the Right Viscose for You

If you love the softness and drape of viscose but want a more considered option, look for FSC-certified viscose or EcoVero specifically. Both represent a meaningfully lower-impact version of the same fibre.

We stock EcoVero yarns and blends for exactly this reason. You get the sheen, drape and softness viscose is known for, with a production process that's independently certified and significantly lower-impact.

Browse our full range of viscose yarns and blends online. We ship directly from Canberra across Australia.

If you're a PlyPerks member, don't forget to log your purchase to earn points on every skein. Not yet a member? Joining is free.

We write our fibre guides to help you make informed choices, not just inspired ones. If you have questions about viscose, EcoVero or any other fibre we stock, we're always happy to help.