Fabric has an important role in fashion. The right fabric type can enhance your overall look and at the same time, the wrong fabric can make you appear disastrous. While deciding any garment you have to first decide the type of fabric. From natural cotton fabric to synthetic fibres there are numerous types of fabric material available in the market. Each comes with countless qualities and hence you may feel even more difficult to find which will be best for you. In this blog, we have compiled 15 different types of fabric and also explained the ways you can recognise them instantly with your fingertips. Check out the different types of fabric and always make an informed decision while choosing your clothes.
What is Fabric?
Contents
Before proceeding further to the types of fabrics and their characteristics, let’s first understand what does ‘Fabric’ mean? Fabric is a cloth that is either produced using weaving or knitting processes. However, some other processes of producing fabrics include braiding, felting, or twisting. The most common fabric material is cotton whereas today there are numerous other types like polyester, rayon, linen, etc. However, there are more than 200 types of fabric but only a few types of clothing material are commonly used for your everyday clothes. Let’s check out each common type of fabric in detail.
Different Types of Fabric & their Characteristics
1. Cotton:
Cotton fabric is one of the most popular fabric names on the list. It is the natural fabric that is obtained from the fibres of cotton plants. Cotton fabric is soft, breathable, and washable and is one of the best natural fabrics. Whether it’s your clothes or any other household goods made of fabric. In fact, within cotton, there are many types available. Organic and recycled cotton are considered more sustainable and environmentally friendly fabric materials. Cotton is a fluffy fibre that is extracted from the seeds of cotton using the process of ginning. Further, it is spun into clothes after which it can be woven or knitted. Any type of clothing can be made from cotton fabric be it shirts, dresses, or underwear.
2. Wool:
When we talk about the best 10 types of fabric then certainly wool is one of them. It is also a natural fibre that is obtained from sheep, goat, Iiama, or alpaca fleece. After the extraction process, it can be knitted or woven to make desired clothes. Often wool is hairy and itchy and can be uncomfortable fabric for many. However, it allows you to keep your body warm in harsh cold weather conditions. Types of clothes made with wool are durable and long-lasting. Moreover, it is resistant to dust and wear and tear as well as it is wrinkle-free so maintaining it is quite easy. Sweaters, socks, or any other clothes that are made of wool, need simple hand or machine wash and it’s good to go!
3. Rayon
In the fabric name list with pictures, Rayon is one of the most important fabric material types. Apart from cotton, Rayon is one of the best fabrics to make summer clothes. When you select Rayon clothes as summer wear, it offers you comfort in hot and humid climates. Rayon is considered a semi-synthetic fabric that is extracted from the fibres of wood pulp. In fact, it is an affordable fabric material that is often used as an alternative to silk. This is among different types of fabric that are quite similar to viscose and modal. People are fond of clothes made with Rayon material because they are soft to touch and breathable. They may not be that durable but it is so soft that it can be draped well.
4. Muslin
The super soft muslin fabric is one that is always among the top 10 types of clothes material. Due to their softness and lightweight, they are often used for baby clothes and blankets. Muslin is considered as the plain weave cotton fabric so it is also suitable for summer clothing. Commonly it is also known as cheesecloth as it is used in the process of traditional cheesemaking. In the list of different types of fabric with pictures, Muslin fabric is always on the list. It is quite popular because of its soft texture, however, the clothes made from it are quite expensive.
5. Linen
Another natural fabric, Linen is made from flax plants and it is quite expensive than cotton fabric. In fact, it is one of the oldest fabric materials known in the fabric list. As it is made using natural fibres so they are not only strong but even lightweight. That’s the reason the clothes made from this fabric are comfortable to wear. This fabric is obtained from a flax plant in which flax strands are first spun into yarn and then blended with other fibres. Hence, it becomes more stronger and durable than cotton fabric. Clothes like jackets, dresses, trousers, and blouses are mostly made using linen fabric.
6. Silk
If you check out the types of clothes material names with pictures surely you will come across silk. This soft, lustrous fabric material is yet another soft fabric that is obtained naturally. People are fond of silk because of its smooth touch and shimmering appearance. Silk is obtained from the silkworm’s cocoon which is usually found in countries like Europe, China, and South Asia. Among different types of clothes, silk is the one that is difficult to clean and is quite delicate to handle. Silk is among the most expensive fabric materials because the process of turning silk thread into yarn is delicate and time-consuming. Mostly, silk fabric is used in wedding gowns, shirts, skirts, ties, and scarves.
7. Chiffon
The sheer, lightweight fabric, Chiffon is among the types of fabric material that are commonly found. The plain woven fabric is obtained by twisting yarn that’s also the reason it has a slightly rough feel. Usually, this yarn is made from Rayon, silk, Nylon, or Polyester material. One of the best characteristics of Chiffon material is that it can be easily dyed. That’s one of the prominent reasons different types of clothes materials are made using it. Some of them include blouses, dresses, scarves, etc. Even wedding gowns are made using Chiffon to offer a light and flowy touch.
8. Crepe
Another popular type of clothes fabric that is lightweight with a rough bumpy surface is Crepe. These are also made by twisting plain-woven fabric and that’s why they develop a rough bumpy surface that doesn’t wrinkle at all. It can be made from various types of fabrics like cotton, silk, wool, or synthetic fibres and that’s why it is versatile and durable. Often it is used to make delicate dresses because of its soft texture, it is easier to work with this type of dress material types.
9. Denim
In this list of types of fabrics with pictures and names, denim is one that we can’t miss out on. It is one of the favourite fabric materials of young people. It is woven cotton twill fabric which is made by entwining cotton wrap yarn and white cotton stuffing yarn. Generally, jeans trousers, shirts, and jackets are popular and opted by people because it is comfortable to wear and has quite a sturdy and durable texture. Mostly, denim clothes are dyed with indigo but these days other colours like black and brown are also used.
10. Lace
Lace is yet another name in the list of types of fabrics with pictures which is not only elegant but even a delicate fabric material. Usually, they are made from looped, twisted, or knitted yarn or thread which is made using silk or linen fabric. But these days lace is made using cotton thread or threads from wools or synthetic fibres. Basically, there are two parts of a Lace material one is the design and the other is the ground fabric that holds the design.
11. Leather
One of the unique types of cloth name is Leather. Leather is a material that is commonly obtained from animal hides or skins of animals like pigs, lamb, cows, and crocodiles. The treatment used on the leather to convert it into usable fabric material completely depends on the animal from which the leather is obtained. The best quality of the leather is that things made from cloth of this fabric are durable and wrinkle resistant and most importantly they are stylish in appearance.
12. Satin
In this list of different types of fabric names with pictures, most of them are obtained from natural sources. Unlike them, satin is one in the clothing material list that is not made from fibre but instead made from polyester, wool, and cotton. Originally they were made from silk and at that time it was quite expensive. The clothes made from satin fabric have a luxurious appeal. It appears glossy, elegant, and slippery on one side while on the other side, it has a matte finish.
13. Synthetics
Several fabric names and pictures mentioned here like Nylon, Polyester, and Spandex can be covered under one single umbrella of fabric which is Synthetics. Unlike other delicate fabrics, the best quality of Synthetics is that it doesn’t shrink and are resistant to water-based stains. Nylon is a synthetic fibre made of polymers that offers strength, flexibility, and versatility. Similarly, Polyesters are fabric materials made from petrochemicals. Among the types of Synthetics, Spandex is the most popular type and also known as Lycra or elastane. It is known for its elasticity and strength.
14. Velvet
In the list of cloth materials, Velvet is associated with royalty due to its rich and opulent finish. The clothes made from velvet fabric material are soft and offer a luxurious appeal. A complex production process is used to obtain this shiny material. This versatile material which is neither elastic nor stretchy but durable is made from cotton, silk, linen, polyester, or nylon as base materials. Various stylish clothes like blouses, dresses, and outwears are made using velvet material.
15. Polyester
Today, polyester is one of the most commonly used fabric materials that come from the family of synthetic fabrics. Among different kinds of fabric, polyester is man-made synthetic fibre created from petrochemicals. Although it is durable and stain resistant it is not breathable. Hence, you may feel uncomfortable wearing clothes made of polyester. That’s the reason it is mostly used in sportswear and home furnishings.
No matter which type of fabric material is used in a cloth, if you have basic knowledge about these 15 types that we have dealt with in this blog you can easily recognise them with your fingertips. Each type has its own significance and also disadvantages. Like polyester clothes are great for sportswear but they can’t be chosen when you are searching for summer wear. So, you have to make your choices according to your requirements after understanding the qualities of the fabric briefly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which Fabric is the best for Gym wear or Sportswear?
A. While selecting fabric for your gym wear or sportswear you should consider the ones made from polyester as they will not absorb the sweat and thus keeps the clothes lightweight for a long time.
2. What factors to consider while choosing a fabric type?
A. Whenever you want to choose the right fabric type you should consider the following factors:
i) Durability: The fabric of the cloth should be durable so that it lasts longer.
ii)Comfort: Whatever fabric you chose should be comfortable to wear
iii)Maintenance: The fabric should be easy to clean and maintain
3. What is the role of fabric in clothing?
A.A fabric is the basic raw material that is used in manufacturing clothing. The quality and type of fabric directly influence the smoothness of the clothing. So, you should choose the right type of fabric for a particular garment type.
4. Which Fabric is considered the most comfortable?
A. Cotton is considered the most comfortable fabric as it has exceptional breathability and a soft texture. It is the fabric material that can be used in making different types of clothing and is considered suitable for both formal and casual occasions.
