Viscose or Rayon (Art Silk) Rugs

Rayon fabric is neither man-made nor natural. It is made by regenerating natural materials into a usable form. The non-static material is often created by mercerizing wood, hemp or cotton to create a plush silk-like texture. The treated fibres give a luxurious material with high luster.

Rayon was developed in France in the 1890s and was then named as ‘artificial silk’. In the year 1924, it was named as ‘rayon’ and was officially adopted by the textile industry. It is made from wood pulp, which is a naturally-occurring cellulose-based raw material. Hence, the properties of rayon fabric are similar to natural cellulose fibers like cotton or linen.

Characteristics of Viscose Rayon

It is strong and durable.

It is extremely absorbent.

It is soft and comfortable.

It is breathable.

It is easily dyed in vivid colors.

It is abrasion resistant.

It resists insect damage.

It does not pill.

It drapes well and does not have a problem with static.

It wrinkles easily.

It looses 30% to 50% of its strength when wet.

Viscose Rayon is an excellent material often used to give silk-like highlights to rugs when silk would be too costly. Some rugs are 100% Viscose such as our Nourison Chambord range giving you a silk-like rug at a fraction of the cost of a real silk rug. Because Rayon loses strength when wet it can be difficult to wash, it is important not to heavily disturb the pile when wet (i.e. do not scrub it, particularly not in a circular motion).