Last Updated on 10 months by Susan Mayrich
Is viscose material stretchy? How to stretch viscose clothing? The feel of a viscose fabric alone is not stretchy, but if blended with materials like spandex, it can feel more elastic and flexible to the touch.
Viscose feels soft and light, making it one of the best fabrics to wear. You may even find you wear viscose pieces more than others because of the lightweight, flowing quality. Viscose fabric is versatile, so many people like to include some in their wardrobes.
Viscose fabric is a type of rayon. Rayon is sometimes confused with other natural fibers such as cotton, linen, and silk, but it’s a manufactured fiber. To find out more about it, read this article. Let’s get started!
What Is Viscose?
Viscose is a type of manufactured fabric most frequently made from wood pulp that has been treated with chemicals and processed into long fibers.
It can be made into clothing, sheets, curtains, and other items for the home.
Viscose is a semi-synthetic fabric, which means it is made from natural materials like wood but has some properties that make it different from natural fabrics like cotton or silk.
It is very soft and can be made in many different colors.
Viscose is often preferred over natural silk as an eco-friendly option because it is made from a plant source instead of petrochemicals.
However, since viscose undergoes heavy chemical processing, it is less natural than linen or wool.
The most common use for viscose fabric is dresses, skirts, and blouses, although it’s also found in tablecloths, napkins, and other household fabrics.
Some types of viscose fabrics are stretchy or elastic, but not all.
Is A Viscose Material Stretchy?
Is viscose material stretchy? How to stretch viscose clothing? A 100 percent viscose fabric is not flexible. It is a tightly woven fabric and does not offer a lot of stretches.
However, viscose fabrics can be made more stretchy by blending them with other materials such as spandex that have better stretchability.
Viscose is a man-made fabric that’s soft, lightweight, and drapes well. It’s made from wood pulp and has no stretch on its own—some kind of viscose.
As viscose and spandex are blended, they create a super-strong fabric that is both durable and elastic. Viscose fabrics by themselves tend to be too thin for much use in apparel or other products.
However, when it is blended with spandex or lycra, you get a strong yet lightweight material that has excellent stretchiness.
Viscose fabric is often used in garments that are meant to be stretchy, such as yoga pants and leggings. This is because it has spandex or Lycra added to it, which causes the fabric to stretch.
How Much Does Viscose Stretch?
Viscose is a synthetic fiber that usually doesn’t stretch much unless it’s blended with an elastic thread. Most viscose will only stretch between 2% and 3%. This is not always the case.
To determine how much stretch there is, you need to know the viscose percentage in the blend and the percentage of Lycra or elastane.
The more viscose in your fabric, the more drape it will have and the less elasticity it will have. The more spandex or lycra in your blend, the more petite drape it will have and the more stretchiness it will have.
If you want your fabric to have a lot of giving, then choose a material that is at least 50% viscose.
Does Viscose Stretch When Worn?
A lot depends on how much lycra (spandex), elastane, and other synthetic fibers are included in the viscose fabric.
When wearing viscose, it might experience minor stretching.
However, since this type of fabric does not have the capacity for stretching, the amount of stretching you experience when wearing viscose will be unnoticeable.
Depending on the design, a Viscose woven fabric is made to fit snugly against the body, and it should not stretch out of shape as you wear it.
Does Viscose Stretch When Washed?
Viscose is a synthetic fiber, and it requires specific care. This material is soft and comfortable to wear because of its elasticity, making it great for lingerie, scarves, and shirts. However, viscose can stain easily and stretch out of shape if you wash it or dry it improperly.
The most effective way to wash viscose is by hand-washing it with cold water and mild detergent. Rinse it well and then gently squeeze it on a towel until no more water remains on the fabric.
You can then let it air dry before wearing it again. Do not use hot water to wash viscose because it can damage the material’s color and luster.
What Happens If You Wash Viscose?
Although many rayon fabrics can be washed, viscose has shrunk to extreme proportions.
Washing viscose garments often leads to shrinkage and even destruction of the garment if not handled carefully.
Viscose has been known to shrink to extreme proportions if washed incorrectly.
Don’t wash viscose unless the item is specifically marked “washable.”
Always check the care label of viscose garments before washing them. If they are dry cleaned, only then take them to the dry cleaners instead of washing them at home.
Can Viscose Be Stretched?
There are two ways to stretch viscose. You can either wet it and hang it or steam it. Both methods take time and patience, but they both work. The material can be stretched a little bit when wet, but you mustn’t wring or twist the fabric when wet, or it will cause damage to the fabric.
Is Viscose Material Good?
Viscose is one of the most widely used man-made fibers today. Most of the clothing that we wear daily comes in viscose fabric. Naturally soft to the touch, it has a silky feel to it and drapes well.
It is lightweight, non-elastic, does not stick with the body, and is highly absorbent, making it suitable for hot weather conditions.
Ways To Stretch Viscose Clothing
Here are a few ways that will help you to stretch viscose clothing:
#1. Stretching viscose with water
When trying to stretch out a shrunken viscose garment, start by getting it wet again. Treating viscose fabric gently is important because it is highly susceptible to damage during washing and drying. Follow these steps:
#1. Soak the garment in cool water for five minutes without wringing or twisting it, as this will only cause further damage.
#2. Next, lift the wet garment out of the water and lay it flat on a clean cloth or towel without wringing.
#3. Gently stretch the garment out and press it to get out some of the moisture.
#4. Then dry the garment by air outside in the sunlight.
#2. Using a conditioner
#1. First, soak the fabric in cool water with a cup of conditioner. This will make it easier to stretch while retaining its softness.
#2. Remove the garment from soaking and press out excess water with a towel without wringing dry.
#3. Then, collate the edges of the material and stretch them out on a sturdy surface.
#4. To dry, use air to dry the garment or put it under a fan until it is completely dry.
#3. Ironing the garment
One of the best ways to stretch a viscose fabric is actually by ironing or using a handheld steamer. Follow these steps below:
#1. Place an item of clothing on a flat surface like an ironing board while turned inside out.
#2. Turn on your iron and choose a low-heat setting.
#3. Hold the iron close to its surface with your hand. Press down on the steam button and release hot steam onto your material. Let this sit for a few seconds to help open up the fibers of your garment.
#4. Heat another section of fabric by repeating this process until one side of your garment is completely covered in steam.
#5. Flip your clothing over, and repeat this process on the other side of your garment, pressing down hard against each material area with a hot puff of steam.
#6. Lastly, stretch the garment gently by hand.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Now, it’s time to answer some interesting questions:
Can I wash viscose in the washing machine?
Viscose garments should never be put into the washing machine or dryer because they are prone to shrinking and color bleeding. Instead, clean them by hand using cool or lukewarm water with non-abrasive soap and then hang them to dry.
Is viscose stretchy in jeans?
It is not stretchy, and to some extent, it depends on the amount of viscose used. Most jeans made from cotton will be stretchy. Viscose in jeans can be blended with other fibers to make something that does stretch.
Can you steam iron viscose?
You can iron viscose on the wrong side or the right side. Iron the fabric while it is still slightly damp to prevent damage. The iron settings for viscose should be set to silk or rayon, and the iron should be held away from the fabric when steaming.
Viscose does not do well with a lot of heat, so be careful when ironing. Instead of iron, you can use a steamer to remove wrinkles from your viscose clothing.
Is cotton viscose stretchy?
While it is true that they are blended to make blended fabric, the blended fabrics are not stretchy by themselves. However, when cotton and viscose are blended, it is possible to increase the fabric’s stretchiness. This is because cotton is more stretchy.
Is polyester viscose stretchy?
Polyester is a popular synthetic fabric for clothing, particularly dresses and skirts. It is often blended with viscose, which has a soft, silky touch that polyester alone lacks.
Viscose comes from wood pulp, making it an eco-friendly choice when compared to the fossil fuels used to produce polyester.
Polyester is a very popular synthetic fabric for clothing, particularly dresses and skirts. It is often blended with viscose, which has a soft, silky touch that polyester alone lacks.
Is woven viscose stretchy?
On the other hand, Woven viscose is made up of a series of warp and weft threads that are all woven together to form a piece of fabric. Unlike knitted fabrics, there are no knots in a woven fabric to allow for stretchiness.
Even if you try to stretch individual sections of the material, it will not give in and will remain as it is. Knitted fabrics are more stretchy than woven fabrics because they have fewer tight bonds holding the material together.
You may find that wovens are easier to work with when designing your garment since there will be less stretching or deformation of the material once it’s been sewn into place on your clothing form.
Is viscose breathable?
Viscose is highly breathable, and is often known as a “breathable fabric.” It’s easy to understand why, since the fabric’s breathability depends on its ability to absorb water and its affinity for moisture.
Can I put viscose in the dryer?
Actually, no! Viscose cannot be put in the dryer, or it will shrink. It can be hand-washed and air-dried flat on a hanger. And, be careful when washing viscose, because it can be damaged by excessive wringing and twisting.
Is viscose stretchy with nylon?
When blended with nylon, it can become more stretchy Nylon also allows the viscose to become much stretchier than it would if you did not add any nylon. The more nylon you add to viscose, the more stretchy it becomes. You may also be interested to know about viscose vs cotton.
It’s A Wrap!
Finally, we’ve answered you Is viscose material stretchy? Is viscose fabric stretchy? How to stretch viscose clothing? All in all, viscose is a great fabric to have, but it needs attention and care. One of the important things to note when working with viscose fabric is that they are not made to be super stretchy, unlike your traditional spandex fabrics.
But with some effort, it can work for you if stretched adequately. Thank you, friends, for being with us until the end! You may also want to read about does viscose wrinkle easily and can iron viscose: how to iron a viscose fabric.
