939 days ago

An Insight into Viscose

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Rotorua

Viscose, or Rayon, was the first regenerated fibre to be manufactured for commercial production in the early 1900s.


As a fabric, it is able to emulate the extremely soft handle and subtle sheen of natural fibres, whilst being more cost effective to produce. Therefore, resulting in the continued popularity of viscose in fashion and soft furnishings.


Although viscose begins as a natural fibre, it is different from products like linen and cotton because it undergoes a manufacturing process. During this process, wood pulp is dissolved in alkali to make the solution called viscose, which is then squeezed through a nozzle or spinneret into an acid bath to create filaments called regenerated cellulose, and finally spun into yarn.


As with all natural fibres, viscose has a unique personality and requires special care. In this article we will discuss the characteristics of this versatile fabric, whether it is the right choice for your next project, and its unexpected enemy – H2O.

Characteristics of Viscose:
• Soft Handle
• Luxurious appearance and subtle natural lustre.
• Viscose yarn absorbs and holds dye well. Especially when piece dyed, a viscose product has the ability to reflect vibrant and bold colour.
• Can be engineered to resemble other natural fibres such as linen cotton and silk, while in most instances, can be more cost effective.
• Absorbent fibre and less durable when wet. We recommend that fabric qualities with a high percentage of viscose yarn are not washed or spot cleaned with water. Due to the absorbent nature of the yarn, spot cleaning can result in watermarks occurring.
• Dry Cleanable. In most cases we recommend a professional dry clean for compositions with a high amount of viscose.
• Low thermal retention. This characteristic mostly applies to the fashion apparel industry. Being a cellulose based fibre, it does not retain heat as well.
• As with all natural fibres, viscose can be susceptible to fading in direct sunlight due to the extreme UV conditions in Australasia. We recommend you are mindful of where natural fibres are situated in the home. In a drapery situation we always recommend a quality lining.
• For interior textiles, a fabric with a component of viscose yarn is extremely versatile and can be used in drapery, upholstery and accessory applications. We don’t typically recommend viscose fabrics to be used for bedding due to the fibre generally being dry clean only.
• A fabric that contains a viscose component can have the same fabric dye processes, finishes and printing applications as other natural fibres.



Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

More messages from your neighbours
2 days ago

Poll: Have you ever been bullied?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

People associate bullying with children in schools, but it can actually stretch beyond childhood to workplaces or neighbourhoods.

This Friday is Pink Shirt Day, which began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing pink. People across the globe are now encouraged to wear pink on this day to take a stand against bullying and promote inclusivity.

Have you or your whānau ever experienced bullying? Share your thoughts on Pink Shirt Day below.

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

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Have you ever been bullied?
  • 81.7% Yes
    81.7% Complete
  • 18.2% No
    18.2% Complete
  • 0.1% Other - I'll share below
    0.1% Complete
865 votes
5 days ago

Neighbourly Q&A: Renting rights with CAB's Sacha Green

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

We are continuing our Q&A sessions on Neighbourly. This week we have the amazing Sacha Green from Citizens Advice Bureau New Zealand (CABNZ) who will be answering your questions about your renting rights.

A little bit about Sacha:
She has been working for CABNZ for 10 years and is passionate about empowering people with knowledge of their rights as well as ensuring access to justice.

She helps support the team of over 2,000 trained volunteers who deliver the CAB service in 80 neighbourhoods around Aotearoa by providing advice and support at a national level on a wide range of issues. One of Sacha’s work areas is leading the CAB’s social justice work on housing and tenancy issues.

Whether you're a flatmate, landlord, boarder or flatmate, you can leave a comment below and Sacha will share an answer on Wednesday from 9.30am. You may want to ask about notice periods, bond fulfillment, reasonable rent increases, or even whose responsibility it is to deal with mould in the home.

Join Sacha here on Wednesday at 9.30am. See you then!.

⇩ Share your question below ⇩

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15 hours ago

Tips for moving to a retirement village with a pet

Bob Owens Retirement Village

Moving to a retirement village marks the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities waiting to be explored. Naturally, you want to share this journey with your beloved furry companion, and at Ryman, you are welcome to bring your pet along, provided they are suitable for the village environment.

Once your pet is approved for the village, the focus shifts to ensuring a smooth transition for them. Dogs and cats, being creatures of habit, may find relocating stressful. However, with patience and a thoughtful approach, we can mitigate their anxiety and help them settle into their new surroundings seamlessly.

For more tips click read more.

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