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Which natural material is used to make rayon fibres?

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Figure 1: Three common polymer structures. The linear, branched, and network architectures are represented (from top), respectively, by high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and phenol formaldehyde (PF). The chemical structure and molecular structure of highlighted regions are also shown.
man-made fibre Figure 1: Three common polymer structures. The linear, branched, and network architectures are represented (from top), respectively, by high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and phenol formaldehyde (PF). The chemical structure and molecular structure of highlighted regions are also shown.

Rayon is a regenerated fibre produced from purified cellulose derived from plant sources. The primary natural materials used to obtain this cellulose include:1

  • Wood pulp: Obtained from softwoods.1
  • Cotton linters: The short fibres that adhere to cottonseeds.1

During the manufacturing process, the cellulose is extracted from these materials, converted into a liquid compound, and then regenerated into solid filaments. Because it is derived from these naturally occurring polymers, rayon is classified as a regenerated man-made fibre.12