Viscose jersey t-shirts: drape, cutting and care

Viscose jersey is a favourite fabric for women's summer tees and tops. It is light, cool, drapes beautifully and has a subtle sheen that sets it apart from cotton. For a workshop used to cotton jersey, though, viscose can bring surprises: it grows on the cutting table, shrinks in the wash and needs a different approach at the machine. Here is how to handle it properly.

What viscose is and why it drapes differently

Viscose is a regenerated cellulose fibre, made from plant cellulose that is chemically processed and extruded as a filament, then cut into staple fibre. Several properties make it attractive for tees:

• a high specific weight and flexibility, hence fluid drape;
• excellent moisture absorption and a cool feel;
• bright colours and a light sheen;
• a smooth, soft hand.

The main drawback is low wet strength. Wet viscose stretches and distorts easily, and it can shrink as it dries. That is why viscose products need clear care instructions.

Which products it suits

Light viscose jersey, around 130–150 GSM, suits:

1. draped or relaxed women's tees;
2. tops with wide necklines or batwing sleeves;
3. long-sleeve tees worn under a jacket;
4. simple, light t-shirt dresses;
5. summer pyjamas and loungewear.

It is not a good fit for structured tees, large plastisol prints or uniforms washed often at high temperatures.

Cutting viscose jersey

Cutting is where most problems start. A few rules experienced workshops follow:

• relax it: unroll the fabric and leave it on the table for at least a few hours, ideally overnight, before cutting;
• spread without tension: viscose stretches easily, and if you pull it while spreading, the cut pieces will shrink back;
• fewer plies: in manual cutting the fabric slides, so use fewer plies and spreading paper;
• check the width: measure the usable roll width before making the marker; narrower fabrics need a different layout and change the consumption per piece;
• very sharp knives, and pattern weights rather than pins that drag the fabric.

Sewing and finishing the tee

Light viscose needs fine settings:

• fine ball-point needles and a fine sewing thread;
• the overlocker differential set so seams do not go wavy;
• stabilising tape at the shoulders, which is essential because viscose grows along shoulder seams;
• coverstitch hems at low tension so the fabric does not pucker;
• a neckband cut from the same fabric as a binding, or a fine rib, so there is no jump in weight;
• pressing at a moderate temperature without heavy pressure, which can leave shiny marks.

Shrinkage and the wash test

Viscose can shrink more than cotton, and a tee can also lengthen when dried on a hanger. So:

1. wash a cut and sewn sample, not just a piece of fabric;
2. dry it the way the customer will, flat or on a hanger;
3. measure length, chest width and sleeve length;
4. adjust the pattern according to the result.

Repeat the wash at least three times, because viscose often keeps moving after the first cycle. Record the results on the tech pack so that the next production run, and any workshop you subcontract to, works from the same corrected measurements.

On the label, recommend a gentle, low-temperature wash, no hard wringing and flat drying. The composition 100% viscose must be stated exactly under EU Regulation 1007/2011.

What we would use for a summer top

For a light, draped women's tee in a classic colour, we would choose a 100% viscose jersey of about 135 GSM. Our navy 135 g 100% viscose jersey has the cool, fluid drape customers expect from a summer top, and navy remains a versatile core colour. If you need a more stable fabric, compare it with the cotton-containing blends in our single jersey range.

This article is made to order in any of the 220 colours on our card, from 150 kg per colour. For samples and the price per kilo, send us a quote request and we usually reply the same working day.