{"id":6187,"date":"2020-05-20T07:22:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-20T06:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.contrado.co.uk\/blog\/?p=6187"},"modified":"2021-09-24T10:42:43","modified_gmt":"2021-09-24T09:42:43","slug":"what-is-cupro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.contrado.co.uk\/blog\/what-is-cupro\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Cupro? From Waste Material to Luxury Vegan Alternative"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Needless to say, when you\u2019re a fabric specialist, you end up\ndoing a lot of research into different fabrics, processes and the plethora of\nother things that come as a package deal with textiles. Well, that\u2019s where we\ncame across the up and coming fabric that almost nobody is concentrating on,\ncupro. But what is cupro? And how come we haven\u2019t really heard of it until now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Cupro?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the current climate, so much focus goes on waste\nproduction and ultimately waste reduction. Rightly so. That\u2019s why it comes as a\nsurprise to me that cupro isn\u2019t the word on many more sets of lips right now.\nCupro is a rose by many names, including cuprammonium rayon, ammonia silk and\nBemberg. It\u2019s made from cotton waste. Similar to rayon, viscose and Tencel,\nit\u2019s one of those not-quite-natural-but-not-really-synthetic fabrics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is it made?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cupro is a fabric that is made from natural fibres but is chemically treated, leaving it in the no-mans-land between natural and synthetic fibres. It uses cotton waste, called linters. This is a by-product that\u2019s like a fuzzy down, made as a result of processing cotton, which is usually discarded. Some manufacturers use recycled cotton. The cotton gets treated with copper, ammonia and caustic soda. This is then spun, a lot, which gives us an end result of a super-soft, incredibly fine, sheer semi-synthetic fabric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is it Cupro used for?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is where it gets interesting. Cupro is a popular choice\nfor lining in top-end suits, as well as outerwear and innerwear. It\u2019s main, and\npotentially only use, is in fashion. It\u2019s so fine and luxurious that it is\noften used as a vegan alternative to silk. It features a similar appearance,\nhandle, and the way it flows and drapes is almost identical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where it differs from silk, however, is that it is a much\ncooler, much more breathable fabric. It washes well. Albeit usually requiring a\ncold wash, it can certainly be put in the machine, so not dry-cleaning required\nat all \u2013 just make sure that you don\u2019t put it in the dryer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It dyes well, super well. It absorbs colour beautifully as\nopposed to silk which often produces somewhat saturated colours, so cupro is\nthe go-to for flamboyant and fabulous prints. Due to the highly breathable\nnature and sheer, lightweight properties it is also used in sportswear too,\nthink about how hot and bothered you get during an aerobic workout \u2013 this is\njust perfect for that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Cupro<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pros<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n