Rayon -- True Synthetic?

-- Last Updated: Jul-31-06 9:26 AM EST --

If I've already asked this, my apologies. I meant to ask it a while back but neither my memory, nor the archives turned up a record of it.

Earlier this summer I picked up a couple of long sleave shirts for less than 1/2 price. One is a North Face and the other is a Royal Robbins. I figured they were good quality outdoor shirts and synthetic to boot. Both contain a 70/30 ratio of Modal/Polyester. Never having heard of Modal (and thinking it was a new miracle microfiber or somesuch) I Googled it and it turns out to be a kind of Rayon. Learning more than is good for me probably, I go on to find that Rayon is made from beech wood.

So the question is does Rayon have the quick-dry good paddling clothes quality of our friends polyester and nylon, or is it more like old killer cotton?

No
Rayon is not a synthetic fiber. It is a treated cellulose and is highly absorbent. Modal is a tradename of rayon.

Buyer Beware
Well, that is good to know. Thanks Swordfish.



It is disappointing that these two companies would choose to put rayon in outdoor shirts that the average person might mistake for fully synthetic and quick drying.



I guess there is some reason for using the rayon, but it doesn’t seem functional from an outdoors sense. Why not just go with cotton, if they aren’t making quick-dry garments.