How to care for viscose rib so it lasts for years
Viscose rib has a beautiful drape and a reputation for being delicate. Most of that reputation comes from three easy mistakes.
Viscose gets called fragile, but it is really just specific. Treat it the way you would treat a good knit and it will hold its shape for years. Ignore these three habits and it will stretch, pill or shrink within a season.
Mistake one: the dryer
Heat is what shrinks and distorts viscose rib. Lay the piece flat on a towel to dry, reshaping it gently while it is still damp. If you must hang it, hang by the seams, never by the shoulders.
Mistake two: too much detergent
Use roughly half the detergent you would for cotton, and skip fabric softener entirely — it coats the fiber and dulls the color. A mesh bag protects rib knits from snagging against zippers in a shared load.
Mistake three: hanging wet
Wet viscose is heavy. Hanging it on a hanger while saturated is the fastest way to create shoulder points and a stretched hem. Fold instead.
- Machine wash cold on a delicate cycle, or hand wash.
- Lay flat to dry, reshaping while damp.
- Steam rather than iron; if you iron, use the lowest setting with a cloth.
- Store folded, not on a hanger, for anything ribbed or heavy.
One more thing: pilling under the arms is normal on any viscose blend. A five-dollar fabric shaver brings it back in about two minutes.
