In our search for great basics that would allow us to expand the collection each season, we came up with the idea of creating the perfect turtleneck and dress. What should this dress and turtleneck look like? What kind of fit would make the Janice woman so enthusiastic that she’d want to keep buying them…preferably in 10 colors?! And then, not unimportantly…what material should they be made of?
As most of you already know, we love working with viscose fabrics. Of course, these garments also had to be made from a viscose fabric that not only felt good but would also hold up well with heavy use. After a long search, we found a super-soft viscose blend that would allow us to create the most beautiful turtlenecks and dresses. In this blog post, I’ll explain why we chose this fabric and how we achieved the perfect fit.
I hope I can inspire you once again, but if you have any questions, feel free to send me a private message on Instagram at @janice.hq or email me at webshop@janiceofficial.com.
Why Viscose?
Viscose is a viscous organic liquid used in the production of rayon yarns and cellophane. The name “viscose” is also sometimes used as a synonym for “rayon.”
The production process is as follows: cellulose from wood or cotton is treated with sodium hydroxide and then mixed with carbon disulfide. This forms cellulose xanthate, which is dissolved in more sodium hydroxide. This creates the viscose solution.
This solution can be forced through a narrow slit using an extruder to produce cellophane, or through a spinneret to spin rayon yarn. In this process, the cellulose structure is restored using an acid.
Why Viscose?
Viscose is a viscous organic liquid used in the production of rayon yarns and cellophane. The name “viscose” is also sometimes used as a synonym for “rayon.”
The production process is as follows: cellulose from wood or cotton is treated with sodium hydroxide and then mixed with carbon disulfide. This forms cellulose xanthate, which is dissolved in more sodium hydroxide. This forms the viscose solution.
This solution can be forced through a narrow slit using an extruder to produce cellophane, or through a spinneret to spin rayon yarn. In this process, the cellulose structure is restored using an acid.
How to Care for Your Viscose Clothing
Viscose can be washed without any problems at a low temperature, unless the care label indicates otherwise. However, always keep in mind that frequent washing causes clothing to wear out more quickly. Viscose has a natural wash shrinkage of 4–8%. Shrunken viscose can easily be ironed back to its original shape after washing.
Hand
Wash
Viscose can be hand-washed at a maximum temperature of 30°C. When wet, the strength of the fiber is reduced by half. Therefore, it should not be cleaned by rubbing or brushing.
Machine
Wash
Viscose can be easily machine-washed at a maximum temperature of 30°C. Wash viscose on a wool or silk cycle using a neutral soap or wool detergent. Turn the garment inside out and place it in a laundry bag to prevent friction. Never wash viscose together with clothing that has protruding elements, such as zippers.
Drying Viscose
To prevent wrinkles, it is recommended to spin-dry briefly—or not at all—after the final rinse cycle. Do not put viscose in the dryer, as it may shrink. Lay-flat drying is recommended: lay your viscose-knit turtleneck or dress on a towel and let it air dry.
The Perfect Turtleneck
We put a lot of thought into our new Milo turtleneck. What would women want as a wardrobe staple, what should the fit be like, and what material should it be made of?
After extensive research, we realized that while you could find blouses or loose tops everywhere, a beautifully fitted sweater that you could wear under anything was far too rare—especially in high-quality fabric.
Okay, viscose was definitely the way to go, but finding the right yarn with just the right feel was another story… but after three months of searching, we struck gold! The design and fit had to celebrate and flatter the female form, highlighting its most beautiful features. If you look closely at the silhouette and the way the sweater is knitted, you’ll see that it accentuates both your bust and waist…
This sweater looks great in sizes 34 through 44 because the Milo is knitted with three strands of yarn. We initially had the sweaters made in single-ply, double-ply, and three-ply, but the three-ply version allows the woman to move comfortably in the garment without it clinging to her body.
Once the turtleneck was finished, we knew for sure: We had to turn this into a dress too… the Travis! We had both the Milo and the Travis adapted to serve as beautiful solid-color basics alongside all the prints in the collection, so everything is beautifully dyed and tailored to fit.
The perfect dress
The knitted viscose Travis dress is made from the same fine, soft material. When we finished the dress, we often heard people say, “But you have to be thin to wear that—it only looks good if you’re SUPER thin!”
– 1. The Travis dress actually looks great if you have curves. 2
. Because this dress is knitted with three strands of yarn, it doesn’t cling!
The funny thing is, sizes 40, 42, and 44 are now the best-selling sizes! Size 44 is actually already sold out! But don’t worry… a new shipment is on its way.
Ironing Viscose
If you want to iron viscose garments, it helps if the fabric is still fairly damp. Don’t set the iron to the highest setting—viscose can’t handle that. To prevent the fabric from becoming shiny, it’s best to iron the viscose on the inside of the garment.
Removing
Stains from Viscose
Stains on viscose are best removed with liquid detergent. Apply the detergent directly to the stain and rinse by hand or wash the garment in the washing machine.
Storing viscose
Viscose is best hung up. Use as few clothespins as possible when hanging it, as they leave noticeable marks on the fabric.
Important
:
When washing viscose, always follow the instructions on the care label inside the garment.