Clothing has many functions, from functional to decorative. It could be a workplace necessity, dress code for an event or simply what you’re up for in the moment. Whether fashionable or mandatory, the fabric used is of key importance in the process of cloth manufacturing. From specially-crafted haute couture materials to readily available and comfortable cottons and linens, here are various fabrics that are a top choice among people for their ease, manageability and looks.
Top 15 Popular Cloth Materials to Wear
1. Synthetic
Synthetic fibers are made from raw materials like petroleum, chemicals and many more. These are polymerized into long and linear chemical compounds. Then these are further capable of producing other types of fibers.
Synthetic fibers are most commonly produced by the melt-spinning process. This process involves heating the fiber until it starts to melt and then it is drawn out with the help of tweezers quickly as it gets heated.
2. Cotton
Cotton fabric has been used for a very long time. It is still a very famous fabric as it can be made in different styles and weights. The other fabrics that can be made from cotton include batiste, jersey, flannel, terry, corduroy, twill, etc. The cotton plant fibre is very soft and fluffy staple fiber that usually grows in a protective case around its seeds.
3. Wool
Wool is an animal fiber, hence a natural material. It is the protective covering of a sheep or other hairy animals like goats and camels. Wool is usually obtained by taking out the fleece from the hairy animals and then turning it into a fiber called “wool” which can further be used to make clothes. Wool is also used to make blankets and other things to keep us warm.
4. Silk
Silk is a natural fiber that is made from the cocoon of the silkworm. Silk fibers are very strong and mostly used to make clothes. This type of cloth was invented by the Chinese in 3000 B.C. that was traded across the world. Since then, silk is a very valuable and costly cloth material. Silk is also used in making rugs, bedding, and paints. And apart from silkworms, several other insects produce silk.
5. Leather
Leather is a very durable and flexible material that is created by the process of tanning animal rawhide and skins. The most popular among them is cattle hide which can be produced from local artisan to industrial scale. Leather is being used since the stone age times.
Apart from clothes, leather is used to make footwear, automobile seats, bags, and other fashion accessories.
6. Velvet
Velvet is a kind of woven tufted fabric. It has cut threads that are evenly distributed with a distinct smooth touch. Velvet can be made from many different fibers. It is woven on a different type of loom that weaves two pieces of velvet at the same time. It is ideally made from silk but many times from polyester, nylon, and other mixtures of various synthetics.
7. Chiffon
Chiffon is a translucent fabric. It is light in weight and woven of alternate s and z twist crepe yarns. It is weaved so that it gets some stretch and a slightly rough feel. Earlier chiffon was made from silk, then it started to come from nylon and other polyesters.
It is mostly used for the purpose of evening wear to get an elegant and floating appearance. Chiffon is a cloth that should be handled carefully as it is very light and slippery in texture.
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8. Denim
Denim is a very sturdy cotton textile. It is sturdy because of the diagonal ribbing characteristic. It was invented in the 1500s in Italy. The most common denim is indigo denim. In this, the warp thread is dyed and the weft thread is left white. And this is why blue jeans are white from inside. Today denim is used in footwear, dresses, hats, jackets, shirts, sneakers, belts, and many more.
9. Satin
Satin is a very soft and shiny fabric that is mostly used for the purpose of fancy dress. It has a very glossy surface with a dull back. It is also used in sports clothes and lingerie. It was originally made from silk. When the yarns used in short-staple yarns like cotton then the fabric formed is known as satin. Then further variations can be done in this while the process of weaving.
10. Georgette
Georgette is a lightweight, crinkled, and dull-finished crepe fabric that gives a bouncy look. It is string absorbent and easy to dye. The fabric is named so because it was made by a French dressmaker whose name was Georgette de la Plante. Initially, it was made from silk with highly twisted yarns. It is made up of solid colours and prints that are used in dresses, blouses, evening gowns and sarees.
11. Nylon
Nylon belongs to the family of synthetic polymers. It is based on semi-aromatic polyamides and is a thermoplastic silky material. This thermoplastic silky material can be melted into fibers, films, and different shapes. Nylon is used to make various different apparel and consumer goods. Even though nylon has declined in popularity it is still very popular for scientific and industrial purposes.
12. Rayon
Rayon is a fiber that is made up of natural sources like wood and agricultural products that are made from the cellulose fiber. As it is made up of cellulose fiber, rayon is not considered to be synthetic. There exist various types of rayon according to their feel and texture. The types of fibers that represent silk are known as artificial silk.
13. Pashmina
Pashmina is also known as Pashm. It is fine cashmere wool that comes from Kashmir and some regions of Nepal. This type of wool is taken from the Pashmina goat or a Changthangi goat. These are the special types of goats that are found in high altitude regions.
14. Crepe
Crepe is a cloth that is a mix of silk, wool and synthetic fibre fabric that has a distinctly crisp and crimped appearance. It is often used to make dresses to form a graceful drape. Crepe can be made stretchy that requires enough care to cut and sew in an accurate manner.
15. Lace
Lace is a very delicate fabric, found in the late 15th century. It is made up of yarn or thread in an open pattern that seems like a web. Lace is made by both machines and hands. Earlier it was made from silk, gold, and silver threads but now it is made from cotton threads. Laces are of many types like bobbin lace, chemical lace, crocheted lace, etc.
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