Fabric
From The Fashion Dictionary
Fabric or cloth is material that is made by weaving, felting, knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers. Fabric is most widely used in the manufacturing of clothing, household furnishings, art, etc. Before fabric even existed, furs and skins were used as clothing.[1]
In the beginning, fabric was mainly made up of natural fibers coming from natural sources such as cotton, flax, hemp, and animal sources such as hair, wool, and silk. In the beginning of the 20th century though, these were supplemented by artificial fibers such as polyester and rayon to cut the cost of production. [2]
Types of Fabric
There are many different types of fabric available all throughout the world.Here are some examples of fabrics.
- Acetate: synthetic or manufactured fiber with a silky, luxurious appearance.
- Acrylic: fine, soft, luxurious fabric with the bulk and hand of wool.
- Antique Satin: satin with horizontal weft slubs. It is made of 60% rayon and 40% acetate.
- Batik: dying method where the fabric is covered with wax designs.
- Brocade: jacquard woven fabric with intricate raised woven designs resembling embroidery.
- Brocatelle: specific type of medium weight brocade, utilizing four or more sets of threads.
- Calico: made of cotton or cotton and polyester, usually with multi-colored floral patterns.
- Canvas: medium to heavy weight cotton fabric. Also referred to as "duck" or "sailcloth".
- Casement: semi-sheer, translucent fabric for drapery.
- Cashmere: wool fabric from Cashmere goat.
- Chambray: made of cotton or linen, a lightweight fabric in plain.
- Chevron: a regular and repeated zigzag pattern formed by reversing the twill weave.
- Chiffon: lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer fabric.
- Crepe: a light soft thin fabric with a crinkled surface.
- Cotton: soft, staple fiber that grows in a form known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant.
- Damask: a formal satin base Jacquard fabric of linen, cotton, silk, or wool with reversible patterns.
- Denim: rugged cotton twill textile.
- Embroidery: a surface ornamentation made with a thread or set of threads sewn onto a fabric.
- Finish: mixture of substances added to textile materials to impart the desired properties.
- Flannel: woven fabric brushed to achieve a soft nap, made of wool or a blend of wool and cotton or synthetics.
- Flock: material obtained by cutting or grinding textile fibers to fragments.
- Flocking: method of ornamenting cloth with adhesive printed or coated onto the fabric.
- Herringbone: zigzag patterned fabric with a novelty or complex twill weave.
- Houndstooth: medium to heavy weight woven twill fabric.
- Jacquard: weaving system which utilizes a versatile pattern mechanism to permit the production of large and intricate patterns.
- Leather: fabric made out of animal skin, usually cattlehide.
- Linen: textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.
- Lisserie: fine Jacquard woven stripe, imitating silk and embroidery.
- Matelasse: heavy-weight upholstery textile in Jacquard weave.
- Mohair: fabric obtained from yarn made from the silky hair of the Angora goat.
- Nylon: man-made fiber made of synthetic polyamide.
- Ottoman: heavy silk or rayon fabric, usually used for coats and trimmings.
- Peau de Soie: soft and fine silk fabric of satin. Translates to: skin of silk.
- Pile Fabric: fabric with an extra warp or weft set, woven to produce deep surface texture.
- Plaid: cloth with a crisscross design.
- Plisse: blistered or puckered finish to a sheer, thin fabric.
- Polyester: man-made fabric made out of synthetic polymer.
- Rayon: man-made fiber composed of regenerated cellulose.
- Rep: rib-woven fabric
- Satin: basic type of weave with a glossy surface and a dull back.
- Scrim: open weave sheer cotton fabric, usually used for curtains.
- Silk: natural protein fiber woven into textile.
- Shantung Dupioni: made of natural or synthetic fibers with a silk fabric.
- Spandex: synthetic fiber known for its elasticity.
- Suede: reversed leather fabric.
- Suede Cloth: light or medium-weight synthetic knit textile brushed to imitate suede fabric.
- Taffeta: crisp, smooth, woven fabric made from silk or synthetic fibers.
- Tapestry: Jacquard woven with multiple warps and wefts, creating various color patterns or scenes.
- Twill: type of fabric woven with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs.
- Tweed: coarse, rugged, woolen fabric.
- Toile: sheer fabric obtained from cotton or linen.
- Tufted Fabric: pile fabric formed by tufting a yarn into a woven background.
- Velour: closely napped fabric with a soft, velvet-like texture.
- Velvet: pile woven cotton, silk or rayon fabric, with a soft but sturdy surface.
- Vinyl: extruded polyvinyl chloride synthetic fabric flowed onto a knitted, woven, or non-woven base cloth imitating leather.
- Voile: light, plain-weave sheer transparent fabric with tightly twisted yarn or stiff finish.
- Wool: fiber derived from specialized skin cells of animals in the Caprinae family.
Natural and Synthetic (Man-Made) Fibers
There are two types of fibers: natural and man-made. Natural fibers and fabrics comprise of cotton, linen, silk, and wool.Synthetic or man-made fibers include acetate, acrylic, nylon, polyester and rayon.