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Rayon Viscose

Rayon is actually made from a particular kind of wood pulp called “dissolving pulp” which demands a very clean input stream. Indonesia has now eclipsed Japan and Korea as the largest producer of rayon. The rayon mills are huge consumers of rainforest resources, contributing to the destruction of old growth forests.

Unless clothing shoppers carefully examine the label, they may confuse rayon viscose (a fabric derived from wood pulp) with rayon acetate (a cotton-based fiber) and contribute to deforestation without even knowing it! Our uses of wood-based products can have destructive consequences for forests. The Sierra Club provides a list of many things we can do to make our consumption of forest products more sustainable.

Avoid rayon viscose garments at all costs (unless it is from a thrift store). Please consider garments made of cotton, silk, linen or other synthetic fabrics.