Remember the last time you walked into a store and touched a simple t-shirt and thought, “Wow, this shirt is so soft! But it just look’s like a basic tee.” Well, you’re right. It was just a basic tee, but what you were probably touching was a viscose tee. Viscose is known for it’s silky appearance and texture, but it’s breathability similar to cotton. It also is known to drape very well, so those basic tees you love, lay even better than your cotton ones once you put them on your body.
Well, when it comes time to wash those favorite staples of yours, it can be a pain. The majority of the labels will say dry clean or hand wash only or lay flat to dry. Nothing can be more annoying than feeling like you have to wash your basic knits by hand, however, I’ve been washing all of my viscose pieces (most definitely not by hand), and I thought I’d show you how I do it, without feeling like they will shrink, become deformed, or get ruined. 
Step 1: Place your viscose pieces into a mesh laundry bag. Anytime you wash anything that is made of a delicate fiber, you should place it in a mesh bag to prevent it from getting caught on other laundry pieces or any part of the washing machine. It also helps keep your pieces in a normal shape, as opposed to getting all twisted up.
Step 2: Set your laundry cycle to “Hand wash.” If you don’t have a hand wash cycle, the delicate cycle will be fine.
Step 3: Instead of using your normal laundry detergent, use a delicate wash instead. I prefer the delicate wash made by The Laundress. This ensures there are no harsh chemicals that could potentially break down the more delicate fabrics.
Step 4: After washing, DO NOT PUT YOUR PIECES IN THE DRYER. This is super important. Viscose likes to tense up on itself when placed in heat for longer periods of time, so if you place your viscose tees in the dryer, it might come out looking a lot smaller, or very misshapen. Reshape your shirts by laying on a flat surface and lightly pulling at the edges. If your seams aren’t lining up, don’t worry, they will once the piece is completely dry. Sometimes viscose can feel very stiff when wet, but don’t worry, it will feel as soft as it was originally once completely dry.
Step 5: Store your viscose pieces folded neatly or hung. You can easy steam out any wrinkles before wear.
If you have any questions on the care of viscose, let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for reading,
Lynda
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