viscose

Viscose is a semi-synthetic fabric commonly used as a substitute for silk. It was developed in the late 19th century after a silkworm blight made natural silk—which was already very expensive—almost completely unaffordable. It became hugely popular because of the way it draped on the body.


Viscose is not quite synthetic, as it's made from cellulose (as all early plastics were), but it is not quite natural either, due to the extensive chemical transformations it is put through.