Viscose Lining Fabric

Most people notice a lining only when it's wrong: when a skirt clings to tights, when a dress feels clammy by the afternoon, when a jacket crackles as it comes off. Viscose solves all three, which is why it's the default for anything worn close to the body. It's plant-based, breathable and naturally low in static, and it moves with the outer fabric rather than fighting it.

Why choose viscose lining

Viscose is made from cellulose, so it behaves more like a natural fibre than a synthetic one. It lets air circulate, which keeps a lined garment cooler and less clammy than the polyester equivalent. It's naturally anti-static, so a lined skirt hangs rather than gripping your legs. And it has a soft, fluid drape that suits garments where the lining needs to move with the outer cloth instead of holding its own shape underneath.

Its limits are worth knowing too. Viscose is weaker when wet and needs gentle handling in the wash, and it can shrink a little on a first wash, so it's worth pre-washing if the finished garment will be laundered rather than dry cleaned.

What's in the collection

Plain viscose linings cover the everyday shades. Beyond those, the paisley changeant linings run to a long list of colourways and have a shot, two-tone quality that shifts in the light, which makes them a good way to put something interesting inside a plain jacket. There are pinstripes, printed and novelty designs, twill linings with a firmer handle for tailoring, viscose satin in a heavier weight for occasionwear, and a stretch breathable lining for garments that need to give. Compositions vary, and some pieces are viscose and acetate blends, so the exact makeup is on each product page.

For the traditional tailoring option see acetate lining, and the full choice across every fibre is in our lining fabrics collection.

Sewing with viscose lining

Viscose lining is light and easy to handle, though it shifts a little as you cut, so weights and a rotary cutter beat pins for accuracy. A fine, sharp needle and a slightly shorter stitch will stop it puckering along a seam, and finishing the edges neatly is worth doing since viscose frays. When you're setting a lining into a jacket, remember to build in a pleat at the centre back so the lining has room to move with the garment rather than pulling against it.

Pre-wash before you cut if the finished garment will be washed, as viscose can shrink slightly. It's weaker wet, so handle it gently and don't wring it. A cool to warm iron is plenty. As always, check the individual product page and care label, since the blends behave differently from the pure viscose pieces.