What is Poly Viscose?

**ardchoille** · 12th August 07, 02:22 PM

I've been kilted since 2003, but the only kilts I have ever owned were of 100% worsted wool and made by Lochcarron mills. I am seeing a lot of kilts made with Poly Viscose instead of 100% wool. What is Poly Viscose? How does it hang/swing? Does it hold pleats as well as wool? How does one care for this material? Can this material be worn as well in formal attire as casual?

**cacunn** · 12th August 07, 02:26 PM

Poly Viscose is a polyester blend in the US it is also called Poly Rayon. I have two Poly viscose form USA kilts that hang and swing great. There is a nice fell to the cloth and it can be clean in gentle wash cycle in a machine and hung to dry.

**ardchoille** · 12th August 07, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by cacunn

Poly Viscose is a polyester blend in the US it is also called Poly Rayon. I have two Poly viscose form USA kilts that hang and swing great. There is a nice fell to the cloth and it can be clean in gentle wash cycle in a machine and hung to dry.

Ah, yes, I'm currently looking at buying two casual kilts from USA Kilts and they are Poly Viscose. Thank you, this info will help a lot

**MacHenderson** · 12th August 07, 03:04 PM

I'm not quite sure if poly-viscoes is the same thing as rayon. My dad's got a rayon, and the stuff is a lot different than my pv sport kilts.
Also, keep in mind that pv will differ in quality as well.

**ChromeScholar** · 12th August 07, 03:19 PM

Poly is polyester. Viscose is rayon. Polyester is made from extruded plastic. Rayon is made from wood or cotton fibers. Poly-viscose is simply a mix of polyester and rayon.

**ccga3359** · 12th August 07, 03:25 PM

To answer you're other question, yes you can wear PV for formal event. It is very hard to tell the difference between PV and wool. PV is lighter but the swing and feel are fantastic. USAK makes very good products. Buy just one, you'll soon keep adding PV to your collection.

**MacHenderson** · 12th August 07, 03:28 PM

Thanks Chrome, I wasn't quite sure if there was a difference or not.

**ChromeScholar** · 12th August 07, 03:36 PM

Rayon, or viscose may get harder to find in the future, as there are questions being raised about the amount of toxic waste produced in it's manufacture.

**RockyR** · 13th August 07, 05:29 AM

Originally Posted by ChromeScholar

Rayon, or viscose may get harder to find in the future, as there are questions being raised about the amount of toxic waste produced in it's manufacture.

WHere did you hear that? Do you have a news article to read or anything?

**ozone** · 13th August 07, 05:55 AM

From Wikipedia, here's how to make rayon (seems some of the steps are a bit toxic....but no different from salami i suppose

)

Regular rayon (or viscose) is the most widely produced form of rayon. This method of rayon production has been utilized since the early 1900s and it has the ability to produce either filament or staple fibers. The process is as follows:

1. Cellulose: Production begins with processed cellulose
2. Immersion: The cellulose is dissolved in caustic soda
3. Pressing: The solution is then pressed between rollers to remove excess liquid
4. White Crumb: The pressed sheets are crumbled or shredded to produce what is known as "white crumb"
5. Aging: The "white crumb" aged through exposure to oxygen
6. Xanthation: The aged "white crumb" is mixed with carbon disulfide in a process known as Xanthation
7. Yellow Crumb: Xanthation changes the chemical makeup of the cellulose mixture and the resulting product is now called "yellow crumb"
8. Viscose: The "yellow crumb" is dissolved in a caustic solution to form viscose
9. Ripening: The viscose is set to stand for a period of time, allowing it to ripen
10. Filtering: After ripening, the viscose is filtered to remove any undissolved particles
11. Degassing: Any bubbles of air are pressed from the viscose in a degassing process
12. Extruding: The viscose solution is extruded through a spinneret, which resembles a shower head with many small holes
13. Acid Bath: As the viscose exits the spinneret, it lands in a bath of sulfuric acid resulting in the formation of rayon filaments
14. Drawing: The rayon filaments are stretched, known as drawing, to straighten out the fibers
15. Washing: The fibers are then washed to remove any residual chemicals
16. Cutting: If filament fibers are desired the process ends here. The filaments are cut down when producing staple fibers