Sourcing the right fabric is the backbone of any successful fashion collection. When you choose Viscose Fabric, you select a material known for its silk-like drape, breathability, and versatility. However, viscose is a semi-synthetic fiber, and its quality varies significantly between manufacturers. A poor batch leads to production delays, customer returns, and a damaged brand reputation.

You cannot rely solely on product photos or basic descriptions. Technical flaws in viscose fabric often hide beneath a glossy finish. Professional sourcing requires a rigorous quality control process. Whether you source from a local market or buy fabric online, you must know exactly what to look for.

This guide outlines the seven critical checks every fashion business must perform before finalizing an order with a wholesale fabric supplier.

Introduction to Viscose Fabric and its Popularity

Viscose, often called rayon, sits between natural fibers like cotton and synthetics like polyester. Manufacturers create it from regenerated cellulose, usually wood pulp. This unique production process gives Viscose Fabric its signature softness and fluid drape, making it a favorite for dresses, blouses, and linings.

Brands love it because it prints beautifully and absorbs color deeply. Customers love it because it feels luxurious against the skin without the high cost of silk. However, because it is a manufactured regenerated fiber, the production method dictates the quality. Inconsistent manufacturing leads to weak fibers, high shrinkage, and poor color retention.

When you approach a wholesale fabric supplier, you need to look past the aesthetic appeal. You need to verify the structural integrity of the material.

Importance of Quality Checks in Wholesale Purchases

Buying retail allows you to touch and feel a yard or two. When you commit to wholesale, you often purchase hundreds or thousands of meters. The financial risk is higher. A defect in a sample yard is annoying; a defect in a 1000-meter roll is a disaster.

High-quality sourcing platforms like Fabriclore prioritize these technical checks before the fabric reaches you. In contrast, generic marketplaces or lesser-known vendors like TextiMart or local city wholesalers often skip these steps to cut costs. Establishing a strict quality protocol ensures you receive exactly what you paid for, minimizing waste and maximizing profit.

Key Quality Check #1: Fiber Composition and Authenticity

The first step is verifying the fiber content. Unreliable suppliers sometimes blend viscose with polyester to reduce costs or increase strength without disclosing it. While a poly-viscose blend has its uses, selling it as 100% viscose is fraudulent and changes how the garment behaves.

The Burn Test

If you have a physical sample, perform a burn test.

1. Take a small swatch and hold it with tweezers.
2. Ignite the edge.
3. Observation: 100% Viscose Fabric burns rapidly with a yellow flame and smells like burning paper or wood (since it is cellulose). It leaves a fine, gray ash.
4. Red Flag: If it melts, drips beads, or smells like chemicals or plastic, it contains synthetic fibers like polyester.

Laboratory Testing

For large orders, request a lab report from the supplier. A professional wholesale fabric supplier will provide certification (like checking for Lenzing Ecovero branding) to prove authenticity. Platforms like Fabriclore often provide detailed specifications regarding composition, whereas unbranded suppliers on general B2B sites might not.

Key Quality Check #2: Fabric Weight and Thickness

Weight determines the end-use of the fabric. In the textile industry, we measure this in GSM (Grams per Square Meter). Viscose Fabric comes in a wide range of weights, and getting this wrong ruins the silhouette of your design.

Understanding Viscose GSM Ranges

• 60-90 GSM: Very lightweight and sheer. Suitable for linings or scarves but requires layering for garments.
• 100-120 GSM: Standard weight for blouses and summer tops. It offers drape but might still be slightly translucent in light colors.
• 130-160 GSM: Ideal for dresses, skirts, and jumpsuits. It is opaque and falls heavily.
• 170+ GSM: Heavyweight viscose, suitable for trousers or structured jackets.

When you buy fabric online, do not guess the GSM. Ask for the specific number. If a supplier lists a fabric simply as "garment weight," they are being vague. Always request a swatch to feel the thickness personally. A variance of 10 GSM is acceptable; a variance of 30 GSM changes the entire garment category.

Key Quality Check #3: Weave and Construction

The way a manufacturer weaves the fibers impacts the fabric's durability and appearance. Viscose fibers are naturally smooth, so loose weaves tend to slip or distort.

Checking Thread Count and Density

Hold the fabric up to a light source. The light should pass through evenly. If you see patches where light shines through brighter than others, the weaving is inconsistent. This leads to "reed marks" or holes after washing.

Types of Viscose Weaves

• Plain Weave (Challis): The most common viscose construction. It is soft and breathable but wrinkles easily. Check for tightness; if the yarns shift when you rub the fabric, the weave is too loose (low thread slippage resistance).
• Twill Weave: Identified by diagonal lines. It is stronger and drapes better than plain weave.
• Satin Weave: Creates a high-shine surface. It is luxurious but snags easily.

Inspect the sample for knots, broken yarns, or slubs. A reputable wholesale fabric supplier inspects rolls for these defects before shipping.

Key Quality Check #4: Color Fastness and Dye Quality

Viscose absorbs water easily, which means it also absorbs dye well. The result is vibrant, rich color. However, the downside is that it releases that dye just as easily if not treated correctly. Poorly dyed viscose bleeds onto other clothes in the wash or fades rapidly in sunlight.

Dry and Wet Rubbing Test (Crocking)

Take a piece of white cloth. Rub it firmly against the dry viscose sample 10 times. Check for color transfer. Then, wet the white cloth and repeat the process.

• Pass: No color or very faint color on the white cloth.
• Fail: Distinct color transfer. This indicates the dye was not fixed properly.

Washing Fastness

Cut a sample and measure it. Wash it in warm water with detergent. If the water turns the color of the fabric, the color fastness is poor. While premium suppliers like Fabriclore ensure industrial-grade dye fixation, budget suppliers often skip the final washing process to save water and time, leaving you with the problem.

Key Quality Check #5: Finish and Texture

The "handfeel" makes viscose desirable. It should feel cool, smooth, and fluid.

Chemical Residues

Sometimes, manufacturers overload the fabric with softeners to mask a rough weave. This makes the fabric feel amazing initially, but the softness washes away after one cycle, leaving a scratchy material. When sourcing, wash the sample swatch to remove temporary finishes. If the handfeel changes drastically, the quality is low.

Pilling Potential

Viscose uses short staple fibers. If these fibers are not twisted tightly during spinning, they work loose and form pills (small bobbles) on the surface. Rub the fabric against itself vigorously for a minute. If you see fuzz forming immediately, the garment will look worn out after a week of wear.

Reliable suppliers use bio-polishing (an enzyme treatment) to remove protruding fibers, ensuring the fabric stays smooth. Always ask your wholesale fabric supplier if the fabric is bio-washed.

Key Quality Check #6: Strength and Durability

Viscose has a unique characteristic: it loses up to 50% of its strength when wet. This makes it fragile during the laundry process. However, high-quality viscose retains enough integrity to withstand regular washing.

The Tear Test

Make a small cut in the selvedge (edge) of the sample. Try to rip it. High-quality viscose requires significant force to tear. If it rips like wet paper with minimal effort, the fibers are too short or the yarns are too thin.

Seam Slippage

Sew a standard seam joining two pieces of the sample. Pull the pieces apart gently. If the threads pull away from the stitching line, leaving a gap, the fabric has poor seam slippage. This results in garments that fall apart at the seams under tension. You need a tighter weave to prevent this.

Key Quality Check #7: Shrinkage and Stretching

Shrinkage is the biggest challenge when working with cellulose fibers. Viscose creates tension during weaving; when water hits the fabric, the fibers relax and contract.

Acceptable Limits

• Unwashed Viscose: Can shrink 5% to 10%.
• Pre-shrunk/Sanforized Viscose: Should shrink less than 3%.

If you buy fabric online without confirming shrinkage rates, you risk your patterns becoming too small after production washing. Always ask if the fabric is "RFD" (Ready for Dyeing) or fully finished. Finished fabrics usually undergo processes to stabilize dimensions.

Conduct a shrinkage test by measuring a 10x10cm square, washing and drying it, and measuring again. If the square becomes 9x9cm, you have 10% shrinkage, which requires you to adjust your pattern cutting or pre-wash the fabric—an expensive extra step.

Conclusion: Ensuring Satisfaction with Wholesale Viscose Fabric

Sourcing Viscose Fabric requires a balance of aesthetic appreciation and technical scrutiny. It is not enough for the print to look good; the base cloth must perform well. By strictly applying these seven quality checks—ranging from the burn test for composition to the wet rub test for color fastness—you protect your business from costly production errors.

The difference between a premium collection and a mediocre one often comes down to the raw material. While you can find viscose in many places, partnering with a transparent wholesale fabric supplier is the safest route. Industry leaders like Fabriclore establish the benchmark for quality control, offering certified fabrics with clear technical data. While you might find cheaper rates at generic market hubs like Surat’s wholesale markets or smaller entities like WeaveHub, the lack of standardized testing often costs more in the long run due to wastage and returns.

Do not compromise on your raw materials. Perform your checks, request your samples, and build a supply chain that values quality as much as you do.