What exactly is cupro and is it eco-friendly? If you’re considering buying an item made from cupro, here’s everything you need to know about the fabric, and if it’s sustainable.
Cupro is short for cuprammonium rayon. It got its name because the solution of copper and ammonia is used to make this particular type of rayon. Rayon was created as an alternative to silk and rose in popularity because of its lower price point.
Cupro is a good fabric in terms of working as a vegan and cruelty-free substitute for silk. It’s also generally less expensive than silk, with similar look and feel. However, in terms of the environment, cupro isn’t the most sustainable material out there.
Any form of rayon production involves copious amounts of water waste, on top of being an energy intensive process. Most factories that manufacture rayon are usually powered by fossil fuels, which release emissions that contribute to climate change.
I recommend looking into TENCEL Lyocell and Modal from Lenzing AG. These are both imperfect alternatives, also both sourced from rayon, but they are more transparent with their production processes.