Textiles by raw material

There are many types of textiles by raw materials.

Natural fibers

Plant

Grass, rush, hemp, and sisal are all used in making rope. In the first two, the entire plant is used for this purpose, while in the last two, only fibers from the plant are utilized. Coir (coconut fiber) is used in twine and floor mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses, floor tiles, and sacking.

Straw and bamboo are both used to make hats. Straw, a dried form of grass, is also used for stuffing, as is kapok.

Fibers from pulpwood trees, cotton, rice, hemp, and nettle are used in making paper.

Cotton, flax, jute, hemp, modal, and even banana and bamboo fibers are all used in clothing. Piña (pineapple fiber) and ramie are fibers used in clothing, generally with a blend of other fibers such as cotton. Nettles, like hemp or flax, are also used to make fiber and fabric. The use of milkweed stalk fiber has also been reported, but it tends to be somewhat weaker than other fibers like hemp or flax.

The inner bark of the lacebark tree is a fine netting that has been used to make clothing and accessories as well as utilitarian articles, such as rope.

Acetate increases the shininess of certain fabrics, such as silks, velvets, and taffetas.

Seaweed is used in the production of textiles: a water-soluble fiber known as alginate is produced and is used as a holding fiber; when the cloth is finished, the alginate is dissolved, leaving an open area.

Rayon is a manufactured fabric derived from plant pulp. Different types of rayon can imitate the feel and texture of silk, cotton, wool, or linen.

Fibers from the stalks of plants, such as hemp, flax, and nettles, are also known as 'bast' fibers. Hemp Fiber is a yellowish-brown fiber made from the hemp plant. The fiber characteristics are coarser, harsher, strong, and lightweight. Hemp fiber is used primarily to make twine, rope, and cordage.

The disadvantages of plant fibers are easy to wrinkle, shrink, perishable, easy to fade, and poor durability.

Animal

Animal textiles are commonly made from hair, fur, skin, or silk (in the case of silkworms).

Wool refers to the hair of the domestic sheep or goat, distinguished from other types of animal hair in that the individual strands are coated with scales and tightly crimped. The wool is covered with a wax mixture known as lanolin (sometimes called wool grease), which is waterproof and dirtproof. The lanolin and other contaminants are removed from the raw wool before further processing. Woolen refers to yarn produced from carded, non-parallel fiber, while worsted refers to a finer yarn spun from longer fibers combed to be parallel.

Other animal textiles made from hair or fur are alpaca wool, vicuña wool, llama wool, and camel hair, generally used in the production of coats, jackets, ponchos, blankets, and other warm coverings.

Cashmere, the hair of the Indian cashmere goat, and mohair, the hair of the North African angora goat, are types of wool known for their softness and used in the production of sweaters and scarfs.

Angora refers to the long, thick, soft hair of the angora rabbit. Qiviut is the fine inner wool of the muskox.

Silk is an animal textile made from the fibers of the cocoon of the Chinese silkworm, which is spun into a smooth fabric prized for its softness. There are two main types of silk: 'mulberry silk' produced by the Bombyx Mori, and 'wild silk' such as Tussah silk (wild silk). Silkworm larvae produce the first type if cultivated in habitats with fresh mulberry leaves for consumption, while Tussah silk is produced by silkworms feeding purely on oak leaves. Around four-fifths of the world's silk production consists of cultivated silk. Silk production comprises pillow covers, dresses, tops, skirts, bed sheets, and curtains.

The disadvantage of animal fiber is that it is easy to shrink, easy to corrode, easy to stick, has a peculiar smell, and is expensive.

Mineral

Asbestos and basalt fiber are used for vinyl tiles, sheeting, adhesives, "transit" panels and siding, acoustical ceilings, stage curtains, and fire blankets.

Glass fiber is used in the production of ironing boards and mattress covers, ropes and cables, reinforcement fiber for composite materials, insect netting, flame-retardant and protective fabric, and soundproof, fireproof, and insulating fibers. Glass fibers are woven and coated with Teflon to produce beta cloth. This virtually fireproof fabric replaced nylon in the outer layer of United States space suits since 1968.

Metal fiber, metal foil, and metal wire have a variety of uses, including the production of cloth-of-gold and jewelry. Hardware cloth (US term only) is a coarse woven mesh of steel wire used in construction. It is much like standard window screening but heavier and with a more open weave.

Minerals and natural and synthetic fabrics may be combined, as in emery cloth, a layer of emery abrasive glued to a cloth backing. Also, "sand cloth" is a U.S. term for fine wire mesh with abrasive glued to it, employed like emery cloth or coarse sandpaper.

Synthetic

In the 20th century, they were supplemented by artificial fibers made from petroleum. Textiles have various strengths and degrees of durability, from the finest microfiber made of strands thinner than one denier to the sturdiest canvas.

Synthetic textiles are used primarily in the production of clothing, as well as the manufacture of geotextiles. Synthetic fibers are those that are chemically constructed, therefore, are unsustainable.

Polyester fiber is used in all types of clothing, either alone or blended with fibers such as cotton.

Aramid fiber (e.g., Twaron) is used for flame-retardant clothing, cut protection, and armor.

Acrylic is a fiber used to imitate wools, including cashmere, and is often used in replacing them.

Nylon is a fiber used to imitate silk; it is used in the production of pantyhose. Thicker nylon fibers are used in rope and outdoor clothing.

Spandex (trade name Lycra) is a polyurethane product that can be made tight-fitting without impeding movement. It is used to make activewear, bras, and swimsuits.

Olefin fiber is used in activewear, linings, and warm clothing. Olefins are hydrophobic, allowing them to dry quickly. A sintered felt of olefin fibers is sold under the trade name Tyvek.

Ingeo is a polylactide fiber blended with other fibers such as cotton and used in clothing. It is more hydrophilic than most other synthetics, allowing it to wick away perspiration.

Lurex is a metallic fiber used in clothing embellishment.

Milk proteins have also been used to create synthetic fabric. Milk or casein fiber cloth was developed during World War I in Germany and further developed in Italy and America during the 1930s. Milk fiber fabric is not very durable and wrinkles easily but has a pH like human skin and possesses anti-bacterial properties. It is marketed as a biodegradable, renewable synthetic fiber.

Carbon fiber is mainly used in composite materials and resin, such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The fibers are made from polymer fibers through carbonization.