Bronte Wells
Viscose rayon is a popular fabric used in clothing, upholstery, bedding, and carpets. It is made from wood pulp, which is derived from fast-growing, regenerative trees such as eucalyptus, beech, and pine. While viscose rayon is biodegradable, its production involves the use of toxic chemicals, including carbon disulfide, sodium hydroxide, and sulfuric acid. These chemicals pose serious health risks to factory workers and have been linked to nerve damage, psychiatric disorders, and cardiovascular disease. The manufacturing process also contributes to deforestation and the depletion of the world's forests, with a negative impact on biodiversity, ecosystems, and climate change.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Core ingredient | Plant cellulose |
| Other names | Rayon, modal, Tencel, lyocell |
| Raw material | Cellulose from wood pulp |
| Source of wood pulp | Eucalyptus, beech, pine, bamboo |
| Manufacturing process | Energy-intensive, chemically intensive |
| Chemicals used | Ammonia, acetone, caustic soda, sulphuric acid, carbon disulfide, sodium hydroxide |
| Environmental impact | Pollution of air and waterways, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, ecosystem imbalance, climate change |
| Health impact | Nerve damage, psychiatric disorders, neurophysiological effects, heart disease, stroke |
| Positive characteristics | Soft, silky, breathable, drapes well, skin-friendly, climate-regulating, versatile, durable, cheaper than silk, easy to dye |
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What You'll Learn
Toxic chemicals used in production
Although viscose rayon is derived from plant-based fibres, its manufacturing process is chemically intensive and involves the use of toxic chemicals. The production of viscose rayon has been linked to environmental degradation and negative health impacts on workers and surrounding communities.
The process of making viscose rayon involves breaking down plant materials, such as bamboo and trees, through a chemical and mechanical process. This results in a viscous substance that is then spun into threads. The chemicals commonly used in this process include:
- Carbon disulfide: This chemical is linked to serious health issues, including nerve damage and psychiatric disorders. It is also a major pollutant released during production, contributing to air and water pollution.
- Sodium hydroxide: Also known as caustic soda, this chemical is used in the viscose process to break down plant materials.
- Sulfuric acid: This chemical is used to spin the viscous substance into threads.
- Ammonia, acetone, and caustic soda: These chemicals are also mentioned as part of the viscose rayon production process.
The use of these toxic chemicals has led to concerns about the sustainability and ethicality of viscose rayon production. The demand for wood pulp in viscose production has resulted in deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and disruption of natural habitats, particularly in ancient and endangered forests. Additionally, the supply chains for viscose rayon often lack transparency, making it challenging to trace the origin of the materials used in the production process.
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Human rights abuses
Viscose, also known as rayon, is a popular fabric in the fashion industry, used to create clothing items like dresses, blouses, skirts, bedding, carpets, and
The human rights abuses associated with viscose production are largely due to these unsustainable practices and their impact on Indigenous communities. Firstly, the demand for wood pulp has led to significant deforestation, which endangers wildlife, destroys habitats, and disrupts the livelihoods of Indigenous communities. It is estimated that over 30% of the wood fibre used in clothing is sourced from ancient and endangered forests, threatening native plants and animals. This deforestation also contributes to biodiversity loss and ecosystem imbalance, affecting the ways of life of Indigenous peoples.
Secondly, the chemical-intensive manufacturing process of viscose has led to severe health impacts on local communities and workers. Carbon disulfide, for instance, is a toxic chemical released during production that is linked to nerve damage and psychiatric disorders in humans. Communities near production facilities suffer from pollution-related health issues, and investigators have found carbon disulfide levels in residential areas near factories to be three times higher than the permitted limit.
Additionally, reports indicate potential human rights abuses in the viscose supply chain, including forced labour and unsafe working conditions. The emphasis on fast fashion and the pressure on producers from retailers to cut costs and delivery times contribute to these unsustainable social and environmental issues.
While viscose is derived from renewable resources, the unsustainable sourcing practices and chemical-intensive manufacturing processes have severe consequences for both the environment and local communities, particularly Indigenous peoples. Addressing these issues requires a shift towards sustainable practices, responsible sourcing, and reduced chemical use in production.
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Land grabbing from Indigenous communities
Viscose rayon is a man-made cellulosic fibre (MMCF) derived from wood pulp, cotton linters, or bamboo. While it originates from natural materials (wood), the production of viscose contributes to the rapid depletion of the world's forests, which are being cleared to make way for pulpwood plantations. It is estimated that more than one-third of the wood fibre or wood pulp used in clothing is at high risk of coming from ancient and endangered forests. This not only leads to habitat destruction and poses a significant threat to endangered species but also frequently entails human rights abuses and land grabbing from Indigenous communities.
The manufacturing process of viscose involves the use of various chemicals, many of which are hazardous to the environment when discharged into waterways. These chemicals include ammonia, acetone, caustic soda, and sulphuric acid. The use of these toxic chemicals, along with the energy and water-intensive nature of the production process, has devastating impacts on workers, local communities, and the environment.
The growing demand for viscose rayon, driven by its popularity in the fashion industry as a cheap and durable alternative to silk, has led to increased pressure on manufacturers to produce and distribute clothing at lower costs and faster speeds. This has resulted in unsustainable social and environmental practices, including land grabbing from Indigenous communities to clear the way for pulpwood plantations.
To address these issues, organisations like Canopy work to ensure that viscose is not sourced from high-risk areas. They collaborate with fashion brands to create life-cycle analyses of alternative fibres and certify low-risk sources. Additionally, new fibres such as Infinna, Circulose, and Orange Fiber are being developed using cellulose derived from textile waste materials and agricultural waste, offering more sustainable alternatives to conventional viscose production.
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Deforestation and loss of biodiversity
Viscose, also known as rayon, is a cellulose-based fabric derived from wood pulp. While it is a renewable resource, the process of manufacturing viscose has significant environmental impacts, including deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
The demand for wood pulp in viscose production leads to extensive logging and deforestation, often in ancient and endangered forests. This clearing of forests disrupts ecosystems, destroys wildlife habitats, and results in habitat loss and biodiversity decline. The relentless clearing of forests for viscose production depletes our planet's lungs, leaving behind a legacy of environmental devastation.
The manufacturing process of viscose involves the use of hazardous chemicals, which can lead to air and water pollution if not properly managed. Substances like carbon disulfide, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur, and nitrous oxides are released during production, impacting the environment, workers, and local ecosystems. These toxic chemicals can contaminate water sources and produce harmful effects on aquatic wildlife and ecosystems, as well as contaminate groundwater sources.
The complex and often opaque supply chains of the viscose industry pose challenges in ensuring sustainable sourcing practices. Fashion brands and retailers have struggled to provide full transparency on their viscose sourcing, and the implementation and monitoring of zero-deforestation commitments remain difficult. However, there are efforts to improve sustainability, such as partnering with certified suppliers, using sustainable wood sources, and developing eco-friendly alternatives.
To address deforestation and biodiversity loss, consumers play a vital role by choosing products made from sustainable materials, supporting transparent supply chains, and demanding information about the environmental impact of their clothing purchases. Additionally, technologies like blockchain and satellite monitoring can enhance supply chain transparency and accountability.
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Pollution of air and water
Viscose rayon is a popular raw material in the textile industry. It is a man-made cellulosic fibre (MMCF) derived from the cellulose (or wood pulp) of fast-growing, regenerative trees such as eucalyptus, beech, and pine. While viscose is plant-based and biodegradable, its manufacturing process is energy-intensive and heavily dependent on the use of toxic chemicals, which can lead to air and water pollution.
The production of viscose rayon involves a chemical and mechanical process that breaks down plant materials using substances like sodium hydroxide, carbon disulfide, and sulfuric acid. These chemicals are highly toxic and can cause nerve damage, psychiatric disorders, and other serious health issues in humans. The release of these chemicals during production leads to pollution of air and waterways, impacting ecosystems and communities surrounding viscose factories.
For example, an investigation in 2017 linked popular fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, and Marks & Spencer to highly polluting viscose factories in China, India, and Indonesia. The demand for wood pulp in viscose production also contributes to deforestation, resulting in a loss of biodiversity, ecosystem imbalance, and climate change. The environmental impact of viscose production is further exacerbated by unsustainable deforestation practices, with more than one-third of wood fibre used in clothing still sourced from ancient and endangered forests.
The textile industry is evolving, and efforts are being made to mitigate the environmental impact of viscose production. For instance, some brands are sourcing viscose from certified low-risk suppliers, such as Lenzing and Aditya Birla, who have been certified by CanopyStyle as sourcing from well-managed forests rather than wildcat Asian plantations. Additionally, the viscose type "Modal" obtains cellulose from sustainable forestry, while "Lyocell" or "Tencel" indicate more environmentally friendly production from eucalyptus, with no wastewater containing harmful substances.
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Frequently asked questions
Making viscose rayon is a chemically intensive manufacturing process that uses toxic chemicals like carbon disulfide, sodium hydroxide, ammonia, acetone, and sulfuric acid. These chemicals are so toxic that there are no rayon producers in the US as it would be almost impossible to comply with the standards of the EPA and OSHA. The production of just one ton of viscose rayon utilizes approximately 30 tons of water and releases around 15 tons of harmful emissions, including the aforementioned toxic chemicals.
The toxic chemicals used in the production of viscose rayon pose serious health risks for factory workers, including potential damage to reproductive and nervous systems, nerve damage, psychiatric disorders, neuropsychiatric and cardiovascular diseases, and nerve damage. In China, there is abundant evidence of rayon production poisoning workers and the local bodies of water.
The production of viscose rayon contributes to deforestation, leading to a loss of biodiversity, ecosystem imbalance, and climate change. Old-growth forests are essential for neutralizing the effects of climate change, and they are home to Indigenous communities and a range of unique biodiversity and endangered species.
