Jangchub wrote:
everywhere.

One of my favorite fabrics is rayon. I am not sure how they make it,
but I know it is not synthetic so maybe that's why I like it.
Ordinarily I don't like anything synthetic because I can't stand the
way it feels on my skin.

Victoria

Rayon is essentially synthetic but it is made from regenerated
cellulose. I believe they started using cotton linter's, left over
from the cotton gin but there are even cheaper sources of cellulose.
It is an extremely messy, un-environmentally friendly process where the
cellulose is treated with carbon disulfide and caustic and wet spun into
sulfuric acid. Cellophane film was made the same way.

Point I have been trying to make in this thread is that while one might
expect natural fibers and polymers to be more environmentally friendly
than synthetics, the processing necessary to manufacture them into
useful items is often environmentally unfriendly.

Frank