Rayon is a fabric made from natural plant cellulose that has been chemically dissolved and reconstructed into fiber. It occupies a unique middle ground in textiles: the raw material is natural (usually wood pulp), but the manufacturing process is industrial and chemical-intensive. This makes rayon neither fully natural nor fully synthetic, which is why it’s classified as a “semi-synthetic” or “regenerated” fiber.
Where Rayon Comes From
The cellulose used to make rayon most commonly comes from wood pulp, though it can also be sourced from cotton, bamboo, flax, and other plant materials. The idea is straightforward: plants are rich in cellulose, the structural compound that gives their cell walls rigidity. Rayon production extracts that cellulose, breaks it down into a liquid solution, and then reforms it into fine threads that can be woven into fabric.
Roughly a third of the wood pulp used for rayon globally comes from ancient and endangered forests, according to the environmental nonprofit Canopy Planet. This sourcing issue has pushed the industry toward sustainability certifications. As of 2018, producers representing about 80% of the global market had adopted endangered forest sourcing policies, though enforcement and transparency remain uneven.
How Rayon Is Made
The most common form of rayon, called viscose, goes through a multi-step chemical process. First, wood pulp is soaked in a strong alkaline solution (sodium hydroxide) to swell and soften the cellulose. The treated pulp is then shredded, aged, and reacted with carbon disulfide, a toxic chemical that transforms the cellulose into an orange-colored compound called cellulose xanthate. This compound dissolves into a thick, syrupy liquid, which is where the name “viscose” comes from.
That viscose solution is then forced through tiny holes in a device called a spinneret into an acid bath. The acid strips away the chemical additions, regenerating pure cellulose in the form of fine, solid filaments. These filaments are washed, cut, and processed into yarn or staple fiber ready for weaving or knitting. The entire sequence involves roughly 13 distinct steps, from initial steeping through final cutting.
Three Main Types
Not all rayon is the same. The three most common varieties differ in how they’re manufactured and what they feel like.
Viscose rayon is the original and still most widespread type. It uses the full chemical process described above, producing a soft, drapey fabric with a slight sheen. It’s versatile but relatively fragile when wet.
Modal is technically a subcategory of rayon that follows the same basic viscose process but with adjusted chemistry, typically using beech tree pulp. The modifications to the spinning bath and solution produce a fiber with better durability and a silkier hand feel. Modal holds up better through repeated washing than standard viscose.
Lyocell (often sold under the brand name Tencel) takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of the multi-chemical viscose process, lyocell dissolves cellulose pulp directly in a non-toxic organic solvent. No carbon disulfide, no sodium hydroxide. The solvent is recovered and recycled at a rate of about 99.8%, making lyocell significantly cleaner to produce.
How It Feels and Performs
Rayon was originally developed in the 1880s as a substitute for silk, and it still shares some of silk’s qualities: a smooth drape, a subtle luster, and a soft feel against skin. It absorbs moisture well, with a moisture regain of about 11%, which is higher than cotton. This high absorbency is a big part of why rayon feels comfortable in warm weather.
In hot and humid conditions, rayon outperforms both cotton and polyester on several comfort measures. Its low thermal conductivity means it doesn’t trap body heat, and its high moisture diffusivity means sweat spreads across the fabric and evaporates rather than pooling. In surface temperature testing, rayon measured 27.1°C after 10 seconds of skin contact, compared to 28.4°C for cotton and 30.2°C for polyester. That difference is perceptible as a cool, smooth sensation when you first put the garment on.
Polyester, by contrast, repels water entirely. Sweat beads sit on the skin, creating heat buildup, a sticky feeling, and increased odor retention. Even polyester fabrics marketed with moisture-wicking finishes rarely match the natural cooling effect of rayon-based fibers.
The Weakness: Water
Rayon’s biggest practical drawback is its behavior when wet. The fiber loses about 60% of its tensile strength when saturated with water, a much larger drop than cotton experiences. This is why many rayon garments carry “dry clean only” labels or require gentle hand washing. Wringing, twisting, or machine washing on a regular cycle can stretch or damage the fabric permanently.
If you do wash rayon at home, cold water with minimal agitation is the safest approach. Lay the garment flat to dry rather than hanging it, since the weight of the water can distort the shape. Some modern rayon blends and modal fabrics are engineered to be more wash-resistant, so check the care label before assuming the worst.
Environmental Costs of Production
The viscose process has a significant environmental footprint, largely because of carbon disulfide. This volatile chemical is essential to conventional viscose manufacturing and is released in substantial quantities. A 2022 study of India’s viscose industry found that producing one metric ton of viscose staple fiber released roughly 100 kilograms of carbon disulfide into the atmosphere. Global emissions from viscose production in 2017 were estimated at 577,900 metric tons of carbon disulfide and 192,300 metric tons of hydrogen sulfide, with China and India contributing the largest shares.
Carbon disulfide exposure is a documented health hazard for factory workers, linked to nervous system damage at high concentrations. For consumers, the chemical doesn’t remain in the finished fabric, but its environmental release during production is a serious concern. This is one reason lyocell has gained popularity: its closed-loop solvent system eliminates carbon disulfide entirely from the process.
What Rayon Is Used For
Clothing is the most visible application. Rayon appears in dresses, blouses, linings, and any garment where drape and softness matter more than rugged durability. Its ability to take dye well produces vibrant, rich colors, which makes it popular for printed fabrics.
Beyond fashion, rayon has a range of industrial and medical uses. It’s found in tire cords, where it serves as internal reinforcement alongside polyester, nylon, and aramid fibers. In healthcare, rayon is used in surgical dressings and wound care products, though its tendency to weaken when wet means it sometimes needs water-repellent treatment for direct wound contact. Rayon also appears in hygiene products, cleaning wipes, and home textiles like curtains and upholstery where its drape is an advantage.
A Brief History
The story of rayon begins with Count Hilaire de Chardonnet, a French engineer who discovered in the 1880s that cellulose from cotton rags and wood pulp could be chemically reformed into thread. He debuted his “artificial silk” at the 1889 Paris Exhibition, where it attracted attention for its resemblance to real silk at a fraction of the cost. DuPont began large-scale commercial production in the United States, and in 1924 the industry adopted the name “rayon,” reportedly inspired by the fabric’s lustrous, almost metallic sheen when sunlight hit it. It remained one of the most important textile innovations of the 20th century, bridging the gap between expensive natural fibers and the fully synthetic fabrics that would follow decades later.