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Cellulosic artificial

Artificial fibers are a chemical modification of natural elements.

They allow to obtain a continuous filament, whose diameter depends on the spinnerets used during the extrusion. This type of yarn is mainly used in the clothing industry or for light fabrics. The result is a light, shiny, fluid, soft, skin-friendly and absorbent fabric.

Cellulosic artificial fibers are defined by the high concentration of cellulose in their composition. Cellulose is a chemical compound, from the carbohydrate family, which is very present in plants and trees. It is widely used in textiles for its insulation, absorption and resistance performances.

4 - Fibres artificielles cellulosiques

Viscose

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic. We call Rayon staple the short viscose fibers (cracked or cut filaments) and Rayon the viscose in the form of continuous filaments.

  • Implementation :

    It is formed by dissolving wood pulp, mainly eucalyptus, spruce or beech, in caustic soda (NaOH) and carbon sulphide (CS2) and then extruded to form the filament.

  • Location :

    Austria, India, Germany, China, Netherlands, Taiwan, Canada, Indonesia, Thailand.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Clothing, underwear, furniture, household linen, nonwovens, medical, filtration.

  • Features :Fatigue resistant, moth resistant, hydrophilic, breathable, soft, wrinkle-free, brilliant, silky, biodegradable
  • Weaknesses :

    Chemicals used harmful to soils and rivers, loss of strength when wet, quite brittle, tendency to shrink, yellowing under the effect of heat.

Lyocell

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic.

  • Implementation :

    The process requires little water and energy and is similar to viscose, but is non-polluting. In the case of Lyocell, the wood pulp, mainly eucalyptus, is dissolved in the solvent NMMO (N-methylmorpholine N-oxide, a derivative of morphine), it is biodegradable, non-toxic and recycled to 97% in closed circuit.

  • Location :

    Austria, China, Germany, Poland, India, Thailand, Indonesia.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Clothing, underwear, furniture, household linen, nonwovens, medical, filtration.

  • Features :Hydrophilic, fatigue resistant, moth resistant, brilliant, silky, soft, light, biodegradable
  • Weaknesses :

    Loss of strength when wet, quite brittle, tendency to shrink, yellowing under the effect of heat.

Cupro or Bemberg

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic.

  • Implementation :

    It is obtained by dissolving cellulose in a cuprammonium solution (ammoniacal solution of copper oxide). Cellulose is extracted from cotton linter (fibers around the seeds, waste from the textile industry).

  • Location :

    Japan.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments of about 10 to 12 µm in diameter.

  • Use :

    Clothing, underwear, sportswear, household linen.

  • Features :Thermoregulating, hypoallergenic, soft, silky, breathable, hydrophilic, light, brilliant, wrinkle-free, easy care, good dye affinity, biodegradable
  • Weaknesses :

    Brittle, low dimensional stability.

Modal

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic.

  • Implementation :

    It is formed by dissolving wood pulp, mainly beech, using the solvent NMMO (N-methylmorpholine N-oxide, a derivative of morphine), it is biodegradable, non-toxic and recycled to 97% in closed circuit.

  • Location :

    Austria.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Clothing, underwear, sportswear, household linen.

  • Features :Dimensionally stable, breathable, hydrophilic, soft, light, resistant, wrinkle-free, anti-moth, hypoallergenic, biodegradable
  • Weaknesses :

    Deforestation.

Bamboo

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic.

  • Culture :

    Bamboo is ground into powder to extract the cellulose and then extruded with a chemical mixture (carbon disulfide). It needs little water to grow, and a very fast growth.

  • Location :

    India, China, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Nigeria.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Clothing, household linen, furniture.

  • Features :Antibacterial, hydrophilic, soft, light, resistant, breathable, antiUV, anti-shocks, antistatic, anti-odour, wrinkle-free, biodegradable
  • Weaknesses :

    The carbon disulfide used is non-reusable, toxic and polluting.

Acetate

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic.

  • Implementation :

    This fiber is made by a mixture of cellulose (from cotton linters or wood pulp) and acetic acid.

  • Location :

    Germany, Italy, Brazil.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Clothing, sportswear, aeronautics, furniture.

  • Features :Soft, brilliant, quick drying, good elasticity, little crumpled, good dimensional stability, thermoplastic, antifungal, hypoallergenic, thermal insulation, low absorbency, biodegradable
  • Weaknesses :

    Flammable, sensitive to acids, bases, some solvents and UV light.

Orange fiber

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic.

  • Implementation :

    It is formed from juice producer waste, extruded by chemical process. Mixture of orange fibers with silk (31%). The cellulose present in the orange peel is extracted by a pressing process, then polymerized and chemically transformed into a multifilament.

  • Location :

    Italia.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Clothing, lingerie.

  • Features :Light, easy to dye, easy to print, soft, silky, resistant, ecological, biodegradable
  • Weaknesses :

    Confidential production, not industrialized.

Corn fiber or Ingeo

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic.

  • Implementation :

    PLA (polylactic acid) fiber is produced from corn starch. The sugar in the corn is fermented, distilled and then polymerized in order to be extruded.

  • Location :

    USA, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, China.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Clothing, composites (matrix), packaging.

  • Features :Biodegradable, breathable, absorbs odors, antiUV, non-flammable, resistant, rigid, brilliant, soft, hydrophilic, anti-mite
  • Weaknesses :

    High water consumption for processing, low temperature resistance.

Rose fiber

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic.

  • Implementation :

    It is extracted from the stems of rosebushes in order to extract the cellulose then extruded thanks to a chemical mixture (carbon disulfide).

  • Location :

    India, USA

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Luxury clothing.

  • Features :Silky, soft, white tone, biodegradable, easy to dye
  • Weaknesses :

    The carbon disulfide used is non-reusable, toxic and polluting, artisanal process.

Banana tree

  • Origin :

    Artificial cellulosic fiber, it comes from the bark of banana trees.

  • Implementation :

    It comes from the waste of the food industry. The pieces of trunk are soaked in water so that it disintegrates and turns into a cellulose pulp that will be spun.

  • Location :

    Japan, Nepal, Philippines, India, Ecuador, Brazil, China.

  • Filaments :

    Continuous filaments with variable diameter.

  • Use :

    Ropes, clothing, composites.

  • Features :Breaking resistance, brilliant, flexible, light, hydrophilic, antiUV, ecological, biodegradable
  • Weaknesses :

    Artisanal production