At BonneGueule, we have always explained to you that in most cases, it is better to favor natural materials over synthetic materials (The only two exceptions: 'technical' fabrics which are always made of synthetic fibers, and blends with a minority share of synthetic intended to give a unique appearance to the fabric, which could not be obtained without it. For the rest, favor 100% natural as much as possible!).
And there are lots of reasons for that: whether it's their beautiful appearance, their breathable properties, or even their ability to wick away sweat.
So, armed with this information, you got into the habit of looking at the labels on clothes in stores. Except that one day, while passing by a rack, you read a label, and then you say to yourself...
"100% viscose lining. Hmm... What is this stuff? It doesn't sound very natural, "viscose", it sounds like "viscous"... Yuck! Is it synthetic? Is it bad? I've seen it everywhere, even in very high-end clothing."
Don't panic, everything is normal.
WHAT IS AN “ARTIFICIAL” MATERIAL?
It is a material, woven or knitted, from a thread that is made of artificial fibers.
FOLLOWING COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE WHO MISSED A KEY INFORMATION... I FEEL COMPELLED TO WRITE THIS INFO-BOX IN VERY BIG LETTERS TO TELL YOU: SYNTHETIC MATERIALS ARE NOT THE SAME THING AS ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS. READ THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE. 😉
But first, we need to define what a fiber is, whether it is:
- Natural , therefore derived from a plant or animal hair, such as cotton, linen, wool, cashmere, etc.
- Synthetic , therefore derived from plastic compounds, of petrochemical origin. We find polyester, polyamide/nylon, acrylic, elastane... And pretty much all the other "poly" stuff (which is not always so much)
- Or precisely, artificial precisely (we’re getting to that).
Fiber is simply the raw material that makes up your yarn: by intertwining lots of small fibers together, you can obtain a yarn, which will itself be used to weave a fabric (or knit a knit).
And we can even mix fibers to obtain yarns with several raw materials, to mix their properties.
I really like this picture, because once you see it, you can't confuse "fiber" with "thread"! This is what different fibers, both natural and synthetic, look like under a microscope. (No artificial fibers here though)
Now, what distinguishes artificial materials from synthetic materials is that the basic material from which they are derived is not petroleum, but cellulose, taken from various natural plant sources (wood, leaves, branches, plant stems, eucalyptus, etc.)
Ahhh okay, okay. It's not plastic then! But wait, so if it comes from plants, what distinguishes it from natural materials?
Well the difference is that the fiber is not harvested as is from the plant, but is created chemically: various plant elements are transformed into a cellulose pulp. This pulp is then transformed into long, continuous filaments. And from these filaments, a thread is then created.
Of course, I'm greatly simplifying here so that you understand the essentials. I know that there are some very curious people among you, so I also put this video which gives you the example with the manufacture of viscose:
In short, if we had to put it simply enough with the physics-chemistry jargon of your high school years, the "molecular chains" of artificial materials are already present naturally, but chemistry allows us to rearrange them so that we can then give them a shape.
It is also because they are made by Man (well, Man's machine) that the rendering of these fibers is so regular and smooth.
Now that you know what they are, let's see how they can be useful to you...
THE ADVANTAGES OF ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS
- They breathe well , with most of them having a level of moisture wicking and air passage comparable to that of cotton. This is THE point that differentiates them best from synthetics, which, when they are not worked in a technical way, often make you sweat or even suffocate in your clothes.
- They are very soft , precisely because the filaments from which they are made are entirely formed by man.
- As a result, they also have a silky finish , as well as a very fluid drape.
- They hold colors very well . Being artificial, it is easy to modify the composition of the fiber in order to add pigments without damaging it. As a result, we can even do without dyeing, by working directly from the fiber rather than dyeing the thread.
- They slide very well and do not catch on other fabrics. Ideal for example for a lining or a garment that you would wear under other layers.
- They are biodegradable , unlike synthetic materials. This is normal since they are initially composed of plants. But of course, they also have some drawbacks which explain why you don't find them everywhere...
Three artificial fibers, seen under a microscope. The dark areas are where moisture has been absorbed. We can clearly see Tencel's ability to absorb a greater volume of water.
THE DISADVANTAGES OF ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS
- This same silky, very smooth and flat rendering is an advantage in some cases, and a disadvantage in others. Because if it is very useful to imitate silk in women (at a lower cost) or in your jacket linings, it is not really ideal as a main material for men's clothing, and it limits its use in terms of texture. A 100% viscose jean would probably look like a shiny disco pant from the 80s...
- Therefore, they have an... artificial appearance . It's not easy to describe, but the way these extremely smooth fibers reflect light is different from that of very high-quality silk or wool.
- Touch, too, often conveys something unnatural: the "softness" of a modal is not like the "softness" of a very beautiful cotton or cashmere. It is difficult to explain with words, but one feels something less authentic to the touch , something that does not come from the plant or the animal.
- For some of them, they can lack a little stability during washing and shrink more than natural materials. You may have already heard your girlfriend, your wife, or your mother exclaim "What a crappy cotton-viscose top! It became a size 10 years after being machine washed!". Well... Well there you have it.
Ok, it's clearer, we understand their properties better. But suddenly, it still doesn't tell me whether or not I should buy clothes made of artificial materials. So tell us, is it good or not good?
That's exactly what I was going to do. You'll see that... It depends. There are times when it's cool, or when it's just not a problem. And other times when it's not great.
GOOD REASONS TO APPRECIATE...
VISCOSE
The oldest of the artificial materials, created in the 1920s, with the aim, at the time, of imitating silk. With a hundred years of experience, it is an artificial fiber that manufacturers have mastered very well. And from which we manage to produce a very consistent quality with a low price. It is also the most basic of them. It also has all their usual properties: good softness, good breathability and silky appearance.
Which also explains why it is the flagship material for linings, especially for suit jackets. This gives them the shiny and fluid appearance that characterizes them, without resorting to silk (which is also quite warm) and its very high price, while maintaining good breathability, superior to polyester for example.
A viscose jacket lining.
I recommend avoiding viscose in most clothing materials that are not linings. Although it is often used in shirts with slightly fanciful patterns, since viscose holds prints particularly well. But hey... You probably know that we are not too keen on this kind of piece.
However, there are interesting blends that incorporate viscose into t-shirts (low percentage) or scarves (higher percentage) to make them visually silkier. It's not particularly high-end, but if the price is not high, it's coherent and you can go for it.
THE CUPRO (BEMBERG)
The top of the line jackets. Usually found on very high-end, cupro is even silkier, softer, more slippery, absorbent and antistatic than viscose. This is mainly due to the way the filament is made, with more rounded edges than those of viscose. Take a look at the difference under the microscope:
Obviously, as the edges are smoother, it's much softer.
It is often marketed under the name Bemberg, which is a type of cupro trademarked by the Japanese company Asahi Kasei .
THE MODAL/MICROMODAL
Very similar to viscose, but more expensive. The difference lies in its increased strength, due to a finishing treatment of the fiber.
And precisely because it is stronger, this allows us to create an even finer fiber, and therefore even softer and more comfortable , without the risk of it getting damaged.
Which explains why you find it in underwear and some undershirts , since it feels very pleasant against the skin.
Visually, most of the modals I had seen were more "natural" to look at than viscose. You can see the difference with cotton, but the aesthetic potential is definitely there.
These two types of artificial materials are also patents filed by the Austrian company Lenzing.
A pair of Derek Rose micromodal boxers. They're very, very comfortable, and the visual rendering of the mottled material is much more beautiful than I would have thought.
LYOCELL AND ITS DERIVATIVES (TENCEL, SEACELL, HEMPCELL, FICÈLE)
It is a bit like modern viscose, because it is created using less polluting chemical processes. It is also more expensive, and particularly soft and breathable.
It is increasingly found in a blend in technical materials intended to be worn close to the body , to take advantage of its softness and breathability . The other big difference with viscose is that it innovates on the chemical processes used to obtain it, less harmful to the environment. Lyocell is recognized as much more ecological.
Seagale 's Tencel and Elastane T-shirt. Perfect for athletes.
Different brands have filed different lyocell patents, the scope of which is to create a raw material in a more ecologically sustainable way.
- Tencel , made from bamboo, but harvested without destroying the plant at the root and causing deforestation. (And trust me, pandas like it. Better not to piss them off. )
- Seacell , which combines lyocell and algae fibers.
- Hempcell , which uses lyocell mixed with hemp fibers. One love!
As with modal, the different garments made from lyocell do not necessarily have an overly artificial finish, as shiny as that of viscose or cupro.
ACETATE
Less used in clothing these days, but very similar to viscose. You'll mostly come across it as a lining, and acetate fabrics are usually even shinier. It's a perfectly acceptable alternative.
Where you will find a lot more, however, is in the frames of your glasses . More refined than plastic frames, acetate frames make up a large part of the mid- and high-end eyewear offering. Its ability to be mixed with pigments (like viscose) gives rise to elaborate compositions, such as the classic "tortoiseshell" pattern . (Which is still better than killing endangered turtles to make glasses.)
Sunglasses from Cutler & Gross. And that "tortoiseshell" effect on the frame? It's possible thanks to acetate.
...AND WHERE IT IS BETTER TO AVOID THEM
Because even if we shouldn't demonize them, they are not always a gift from brands either. Note that it is more often viscose , or at most acetate, which are used as a "stopgap", given that other artificial materials are still quite expensive today.
IN THE WOOLEN CLOTH OF A COAT
Not good not good, not good. It's probably just there to make you believe in a more precious wool, because it's shinier. And I promise you that it won't age very well. Maximum tolerance: under 5%. And clearly, if there's cashmere with it, it's a better sign than if there's also polyester and cotton to cut the wool even more...
Zara coat, 63% polyester, 32% viscose, 5% elastane. It looks like a nice wool, like that... But actually no.
IN THE WOOL OF BLAZERS OR SUITS
Same. Maximum tolerance: 0% . Non-negotiable, even more so on the costume, which easily suffers from a cheap look as soon as you go beyond 100% natural.
IN THE YARN WITH WHICH WE KNIT A SWEATER
Not great. At the limit, if it's like the T-shirt where there is very little to create a material effect, why not. But it's very rarely something you find on good quality materials. Maximum tolerance: under 5%.
A slightly dodgy looking sweater from Devred . Normal: 70% viscose, 30% polyamide.
IN THE DENIM OF YOUR JEANS
Maximum tolerance: 0%
And I won't even say why. Instead, I'm sending you to this article on selvedge . There you have it, real denim. You're welcome, the pleasure is all mine!
At first glance, these jeans look like regular black washed jeans. But in fact, they are men's leggings. 16% Viscose, 66% Lyocell, 16% Polyester, 2% Elastane... Thanks Hugo Boss!
IN THE FABRICS OF YOUR SHIRTS
Maximum tolerance: below 10% , only if it is justified by a very silky original appearance, or mixtures of several noble materials to serve as a binder. But really, in most cases, avoid.
Otherwise, you will also find quite a few on low-end printed shirts since it allows the print to hold more easily than 100% cotton.
Jules printed shirt 100% viscose. If you are ok with the slightly fluid and feminine look, and it is sold very cheaply... Why not. Otherwise, move on.
IN TIES AND POCKET SQUARES
Maximum tolerance: 0% . No interest compared to more noble materials, and given how easy it is today to find good quality ties or pocket squares at affordable prices, I see no reason to compromise.
Zara bow tie.
61% silk, 39% viscose. Typical case where viscose is only used to cut the silk.
There you have it, with that, I hope that part of the mystery (infinite and unfathomable) and the labels of your clothes has been elucidated. I'll see you soon, to continue to explore together the fabulous world of textiles and its secrets!
