How to care for your viscose clothing?

After talking to you about viscose (its composition, how to sew it...), it seemed important to me to focus on its care.

While it is true that sewing a beautiful viscose with pretty patterns is more than enjoyable, it is really a disaster if its care goes wrong.

So let's see together how to avoid trouble and enjoy your beautiful viscose creations for as long as possible...

First step: prepare your viscose before sewing it

It is essential to wash your viscose before sewing it, and this for several reasons:

remove the necessary finishes from its production
make sure of shrinkage before cutting your pattern pieces

Viscose is a very absorbent fiber, which makes it fragile when wet. The washing step is therefore a delicate stage for this silk-like fabric.

How to proceed with washing?

Carefully read the washing instructions for the viscose you have chosen. Some producers will recommend hand washing, others machine washing on a delicate cycle... but always below 40°C, which is the maximum temperature tolerated by viscose. It is really important to follow these specifications, otherwise it will be at your own risk.
On the other hand, everyone recommends not putting viscose in the dryer for fear of damaging the fibers.

If you choose to use the washing machine, I recommend that when you do the first wash of your viscose, you do it inside a laundry bag. This will protect your viscose from the friction of the machine drum.

The best choice to avoid any risk is hand washing in lukewarm water.

How should you proceed with drying?

Viscose should not be wrung or twisted like a dishcloth or mop. A tumble dryer is forbidden for this delicate fabric. If you want, you can gently blot it with a towel.

Then, let it dry in the open air, avoiding direct sunlight.

Finally, when ironing, select the "silk" temperature to avoid marking or shining your beautiful viscose.

And once the garment is sewn, how do I care for it?

The precautions for washing remain the same. I recommend using a laundry bag and washing the garment inside out.

For drying, the best is to air dry your viscose garments on a hanger, which will help remove wrinkles.

For ironing/steaming, iron your garment slightly damp at a low temperature (silk setting). You can use a pressing cloth but do not spray water directly on the garment. Some viscose fabrics really dislike this treatment and may develop what are called "water spots" or halos.