Textiles

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Types of textile-based materials and their uses

Textile materials can be found naturally or can be formed synthetically. They can be processed into different forms such as , or .

Natural fibres come from plants or animals. They are easily and .

Natural textile	Physical properties	Working properties
Cotton	Grows on a cotton plant in a ball called a boll, fibres are combed and spun into a yarn	Takes dye well, soft, strong, absorbent, recyclable, used in clothing
Wool	Spun from animal fleece such as sheep and alpacas	Can be fine or thick, soft or coarse, takes dye well, warm and crease-resistant, used in clothing and carpets
Silk	Made from the cocoon of the silkworm, the only natural fibre that has continuous filament fibres rather than shorter staple fibres	Soft and shiny, drapes well, difficult to wash, expensive, creases easily, used in luxury clothes, underwear and bedding

Natural textile	Cotton
Physical properties	Grows on a cotton plant in a ball called a boll, fibres are combed and spun into a yarn
Working properties	Takes dye well, soft, strong, absorbent, recyclable, used in clothing

Natural textile	Wool
Physical properties	Spun from animal fleece such as sheep and alpacas
Working properties	Can be fine or thick, soft or coarse, takes dye well, warm and crease-resistant, used in clothing and carpets

Natural textile	Silk
Physical properties	Made from the cocoon of the silkworm, the only natural fibre that has continuous filament fibres rather than shorter staple fibres
Working properties	Soft and shiny, drapes well, difficult to wash, expensive, creases easily, used in luxury clothes, underwear and bedding

Synthetic fibres are made mainly from coal and oil into and do not easily.

Synthetic textile	Physical properties	Working properties
Polyester	Can be woven or knitted, thick or thin and available in a variety of colours, can be blended with other fibres for better properties (see polycotton)	Strong and versatile, it holds colour and washes well
Polyamide (nylon)	Can be woven into many different forms, can be blended, available in a range of colours	Shiny, water resistant, hardwearing, used for parachutes, clothing and sports equipment
Elastane	Smooth and stretchy	Hardwearing, quick drying but not biodegradable, used in sportswear and swimsuits

Synthetic textile	Polyester
Physical properties	Can be woven or knitted, thick or thin and available in a variety of colours, can be blended with other fibres for better properties (see polycotton)
Working properties	Strong and versatile, it holds colour and washes well

Synthetic textile	Polyamide (nylon)
Physical properties	Can be woven into many different forms, can be blended, available in a range of colours
Working properties	Shiny, water resistant, hardwearing, used for parachutes, clothing and sports equipment

Synthetic textile	Elastane
Physical properties	Smooth and stretchy
Working properties	Hardwearing, quick drying but not biodegradable, used in sportswear and swimsuits

Blended fibres are mixtures of fibres that combine properties.

Blended textile	Physical properties	Working properties
Polycotton	Made of polyester fibres and cotton fibres, can be printed or dyed	Easy to wash, cheaper than cotton

Blended textile	Polycotton
Physical properties	Made of polyester fibres and cotton fibres, can be printed or dyed
Working properties	Easy to wash, cheaper than cotton

Woven fabrics use a warp and weft yarn on a loom to interlock fibres.

Woven textile	Physical properties	Working properties
Plain weave	Threads are woven in a simple under one, over one	Simple and cheap, strong and available in different thicknesses, when torn it rips in a straight line

Woven textile	Plain weave
Physical properties	Threads are woven in a simple under one, over one
Working properties	Simple and cheap, strong and available in different thicknesses, when torn it rips in a straight line

Non-woven fabrics are webs of fibres that are glued, compressed or melted together.

Non-woven textile	Physical properties	Working properties
Bonded fabrics	Fibres are visible and random, often has small holes on the surface	Does not fray as it has no grain, not strong
Felted fabrics	Randomly matted fibres, often wool, available in many thicknesses and colours	Formed with moisture, heat and pressure, can be shaped as it has no elasticity or drape, used for hat making

Non-woven textile	Bonded fabrics
Physical properties	Fibres are visible and random, often has small holes on the surface
Working properties	Does not fray as it has no grain, not strong

Non-woven textile	Felted fabrics
Physical properties	Randomly matted fibres, often wool, available in many thicknesses and colours
Working properties	Formed with moisture, heat and pressure, can be shaped as it has no elasticity or drape, used for hat making

Knitted textiles are made from rows of interlocking loops. They can be made from a variety of fibres, not just wool.

Knitted textile	Physical properties	Working properties
Knitted fabrics	Can be warp knitted (straight lines) or weft knitted (knitted upwards), available in a variety of textures and colours, can have patterns knitted in.	Warm, stretchy and strong, tend to unravel when a hole is made, used in clothing and sportswear

Knitted textile	Knitted fabrics
Physical properties	Can be warp knitted (straight lines) or weft knitted (knitted upwards), available in a variety of textures and colours, can have patterns knitted in.
Working properties	Warm, stretchy and strong, tend to unravel when a hole is made, used in clothing and sportswear