# Madeira Rayon vs. Polyneon



## ironscepter (Jun 5, 2011)

I suppose the particular topic has been mentioned many times over on the forum. But the more I read about the opinions around the internet, the more I've gotten indecisive.

From what I've gathered so far, the rayon gives luster and shine that comes only from natural fibers and blends well with high class dresses but not color durable. On the other hand, the polyneon gives somewhat plasticky but vibrant colors, reflective shine and is color fast, less prone to breakage than the rayon.

One particular pro-rayon opinion I recalled is that the current technology has made quality rayon just as color fast as the polyneon such that there really is no need to worry about its vulnerability on bleach exposure while you get the best of the natural fiber. Another opinion was that the color of the rayon would last longer than the color of cotton fabrics.

The pro-polyneon opinion I remember is that the poly also has gotten improved so much so that its look is almost indecernible to the rayon. Hence only obvious advantage would be that the poly is stronger than the rayon. 

Are there merits to these claims?

I should've mentioned that I'll be working on more delicate silk and knit type of fabric than everyday casual cotton type of wears. It's unlikely that I'll be doing any sports, swiming wears or golf bags. 

Having to choose one particular type of thread would be preferable as it would simplify the workflow and cost. I'd be willing to risk the thread breakage if the rayon is the only one that will produce superior color and luster than the polyneon.

On the other hand, I don't mind dealing both types of threads unless they yield profound results and variations. 

Please let me know what you think.


----------



## ikkuh (Apr 8, 2010)

Polyneon wil last longer, doesn't get old when not used.


----------



## lizziemaxine (Nov 14, 2007)

I don't think the statement that rayon has more shine/sheen than poly is as true as it may have been. The thread manufacturers have put a lot of shine into their poly thread. A side by side comparison might show the rayon to be shinier but not by much. And, the benefits of using poly, to me, far outweight the shine/sheen factor.


----------



## philipfirth83 (Aug 17, 2012)

lizziemaxine said:


> I don't think the statement that rayon has more shine/sheen than poly is as true as it may have been. The thread manufacturers have put a lot of shine into their poly thread. A side by side comparison might show the rayon to be shinier but not by much. And, the benefits of using poly, to me, far outweight the shine/sheen factor.


I agree, I have nearly completed converting all my colours over to poly thread now and the bonus is the poly thread is nearly half the price of rayon here in the UK, Im not using Madeira tho im using Gunold.


----------



## ironscepter (Jun 5, 2011)

One of the main rayon vs. poly concerns I've read was that not that rayon has more sheen than poly (in fact almost everyone seems to acknowledge that poly has more shine) but rather rayon has that natural sheen that can only be attained from organic fiber that blends better with classy dresses where as poly has that 70's glittering disco looks to it. 
I haven't compared them side by side so that's something I'd like to find out.


----------



## philipfirth83 (Aug 17, 2012)

The Gunold thread that i use you cant tell the difference between the 2 types.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using T-Shirt Forums


----------



## zoom_monster (Sep 20, 2006)

Another thing you'll find is that Rayon is "slicker". If you go from Poly to rayon, you'll find that you will have to raise the tension because it slides through the tension discs easier. I have not heard that they've made rayon more colorfast. I would make sure this applies to all colors.


----------



## ironscepter (Jun 5, 2011)

That's interesting perspective. I always thought poly would be slicker since it's made out of oil based fibers. Because of its synthetic nature, poly would repel water making it suitable for stretchy materials like swimwear but susceptible to heat and fire.


----------

