Is Rayon Ethical?
We’ve detailed the chemical processes that produce rayon fibers—but who performs those processes?
That’s right, human factory workers bear the brunt of rayon’s less than healthy processing.
Since rayon’s invention 150 years ago, the same chemicals have been used to make it, despite many studies showing the negative impact they have on humans.
In fact, creating viscose rayon is so harmful that much of its creation process is now banned in the United States.
Meanwhile, rayon is the most popular man-made cellulosic fiber, with approximately 79% market share and 5.3 million tons produced in 2018.
This means that textile garment workers in countries like Bangladesh, China, India, and Indonesia must work with dangerous chemicals to produce viscose rayon.
Firstly, the caustic soda used is corrosive and can cause blindness.
Secondly, sulfuric acid is battery acid. It’s a classified hazardous substance and causes significant burn damage to skin and eyes. When inhaled as a mist, the National Institute of Health classifies it as a human carcinogen.
Thirdly, and the most concerning of all, is the use of carbon disulfide (CS2).
This can cause a toxic degenerative brain disease with adverse effects on the nervous system, including personality changes, dizziness, anxiety, anorexia, vision changes, and Parkinsonian paralysis.
Beyond the brain and nervous systems, it can also inflict acute complications upon the kidneys, heart, nerves, liver, eyes, blood, and skin.
CS2can even cause mental deterioration and psychosis amongst garment workers who are exposed long term.
In a 1983 study, almost half the workers were poisoned after just one year of working with the substance.
In short, the ethical conundrum of viscose rayon production is as harsh as the chemicals it involves.
Is Rayon Sustainable?
The environmental impact of carbon disulfide used to create rayon is as alarming as its human impact.
For every gram of viscose rayon produced, up to 30 grams of CS2 is released into the environment, making its way into drinking water, animals, and humans.
Then there’s the impact of deforestation to make rayon—over 150 million trees per year. If placed end to end, those trees would circle the earth seven times.
Worse, between 2013 and 2020, the number of trees logged for viscose rayon doubled.
Logging for fast fashion has reached a tipping point, with less than 20% of the world’s old growth forests remaining. The implications for indigenous communities, biodiversity, food security, and the environment are of top concern.
Lastly, traditional rayon production requires huge amounts of toxins, water, and energy. Unless we’re talking TENCEL™, it’s also not closed-loop or circular.
It requires high-impact cleaning like dry cleaning and doesn’t always biodegrade. When it does, it’s filled with chemicals we don’t want in our soils.
Sustainable Forms Of Rayon Fabric
Once again Lenzing’s TENCEL™ modal and lyocell are two big exceptions.
The main difference between the two is that lyocell is made through a more sustainable solvent spinning technique that causes no significant chemical change to the fibers.
Lenzing isn’t the exclusive modal and lyocell producer, but they’re seen as the most sustainable.
Aside from recapturing inputs via a closed-loop system, these fabrics are stronger, more absorbent, and more durable, capable of being loved for years to avoid the local landfill.
Other healthier alternatives to conventional rayon include:
- Refibra™
- Re:newcell
- EvrnuFiber™
- Orange Fibre
- Birla Eco Viscose
Now onto our next ethical fuzzy fabric…
