Recognize the types of fabrics and learn to differentiate them

April 21, 2025


There is a huge variety of fabrics, with also multiple uses. But it is not always easy to recognize them, and to determine the best use. And it is however essential if you want to sew clothes or accessories!

Let us discover together the main fabrics and the characteristics that differentiate the natural tissues from synthetic tissues or artificial fiber tissues.

A type of fabric from nature: natural tissues

As its name suggests, these fabrics are produced from natural fibersmost often of plant origin. But also sometimes of animal or mineral origin. Fabrics from natural fibers are biodegradable and breathable.

Natural fabrics from vegetable fibers

  • Cotton : soft and absorbent, the cotton is light, breathable and yet very resistant. He also has Hypoallergenic propertiesavoiding any irritation. Add to that Antibacterial virtuesSince it limits bad odors, and has a significant absorption capacity. And as cotton is also easy to maintainIt is widely used for clothing and underwear, household linen or decoration.
    Cotton represents 37 % of global production of textile fibers. This intensive global culture is however very greedy in water and often poses environmental problems, as well as Humans due to working conditions that are not always very respectful or ethical.
  • Linen :: Breathable, absorbent and refreshing, anallergic, durable and easy to maintainThis is already a beautiful panel of qualities! Linen is also antistatic And he doesn’t take a plush. It’s a very good Thermal regulatorAnd it is very flexible and pleasant when it is finely woven. It is therefore often used to make clothes or underwear. It is of course found in the field of decoration and for household linen.
    This natural fiber comes from cultivated linen rods, with a production mainly located in Europe on more than 100,000 hectares. Linen culture is rapid (about 100 days between seeding of the seed and harvest) and therefore profitable. Especially since it is a environmental culture which requires little water, little fertilizer, and few pesticides. And in addition, linen is entirely autobiodegradableIt’s a totally ecological.
  • Hemp :: Hypoallergenic, anti-abacian, antibacterial and antifungalHemp avoids bad odors. It is also UV resistant. This type of fabric is generally slightly rough when new, but softens after washing; It is resistant and deforms very little over the years. It is most often used for clothing, decoration and household linen.
    Hemp fiber comes from the stem. Its culture is relatively respectful of the environment. Indeed, it requires little water, pesticides or fertilizers. It is also a robust plant that grows quickly (about 100 days from the seed to maturity). France produces around 143,110 tonnes of hemp per year according to the Exchange textile report of 2021, stable production since 1961, which represents 47 % of world production.
  • Jute : durable, resistant, biodegradable, antistatic, insulating … To know everything about the jute, read our big file on the jute canvas.

There are still many natural textiles: bamboo (very absorbent, resistant and soft), ramie, sisal, raffia, coconut …

Natural textile fabrics from animal fibers

This type of fabric comes from woven animal hair (sheep, goats, lamas, camels, etc.).

We can cite the WoolTHE cashmereTHE mohairTHE silkL ‘angora. These are all hot, breathable and weather resistant materials. They have insulating virtues and excellent ability to maintain heat.

Note that apart from silk, which is a fabric, the others are part of the woolen category. And let’s not forget the leather, which comes from animal skin.

Different types of wool

  • THE virgin wool : wool from the very first mowing of a lamb. It is therefore the sweetest and finest wool that we can take on a sheep, since he is still a baby. Wool is also said to be a virgin when it has not been treated or woven.
  • THE Merino wool : This type of wool comes only from Spanish sheep. It is a soft and softer wool than traditional wool.
  • THE alpaca wool : This wool comes from the Lamas fleece. It is very resistant and hot and always sold at high prices.
  • THE Angora wool comes from rabbit hairs. This wool is of very high quality, very soft and hot.

THE cashmere comes from the fleece of goats in lower Mongolia. This wool is very soft and maintains the heat well.

Silk is a protein fiber produced by silkworms (caterpillars of certain butterfly species)

The particular case of silk

Silk is a protein fiber produced by silkworms (caterpillars of certain butterfly species). Silk is a complex and expensive fabric to produce, and its often exceptional fibers are sought after for their characteristics: finesse, softness, and heat and hypoallergenic properties, which explains its high price. Silk is hot in winter and is refreshing in summer. This type of fabric represents only 2 % of the global textile fiber market.

Silk is a natural, luxurious and soft textile that distills a subtle radiance. It is a shimmering fabric, slightly shiny but with a delicate shine and different light reflections depending on the light. To the touch, the silk is very light and soft, unlike much more rough synthetic fabrics.

A fabric made by humans: synthetic fabrics

These fabrics are made from synthetic polymers or mineral polymers. 70 % of synthetic fibers come from oil and their production is generally simple and inexpensive.

  • Polyester : Synthetic textiles often used in making sportswear, fleece and cheap clothes. Polyester is the most manufactured synthetic material in the world. This type of fabric is easy to maintain and stains resistant, it keeps hot and is undersideable. But it is much less breathable than natural textiles.
  • Nylon or polyamide : resistant and absorbent textiles, easy to maintain and which dries very quickly. Nylon is an economical fabric, often used for the manufacture of swimsuits, tights and for clothing liners.
  • Acrylic : flexible and easy to maintain, acrylic has an appearance similar to wool. This type of fabric is often used for blankets or sweaters. It is, like the other synthetic tissues, made from oil and has a bad environmental impact due to the high energy consumption necessary for its production (+ 30 % compared to the manufacture of polyester).
  • Elastane or Lycra : very extensible fabric, very robust and antibacterial. Perfect for leggings, stretch clothes and underwear.

There are still many types of synthetic fabrics: PVC, microfiber, polypropylene …

A type of fabric transformed by humans: fabrics into artificial fibers

The artificial fiber fabrics are made from chemically transformed nature elements.

  • Viscose, radiates : These are fibers reconstituted from wooden cellulose. This type of fabric is breathable, flexible, soft and fluid with a beautiful fall. He opposes good resistance to wear, without bubbling. It is easily dyed and is easy to maintain because it dries quickly. However, viscose is not hot and clearly shows its artificial appearance. It is used in cheap clothing, lingerie, furnishings …
  • Lyocell or Tencel : artificial chemical from reconstituted fibers from hardwood pulp. The Lyocell is 100 % biodegradable and compostable, and represents a good ecological alternative to viscose, with a very low environmental impact provided that it is not mixed with other synthetic fibers. It is a very resistant, easy to maintain because it is easy to maintain, inexhaustible, hypoallergenic and with a good humidity absorption capacity. However, it is not very insulating and tends to boulochet. It is used for underwear, clothing and bed linen.
  • Modal : fabric made from fibers reconstituted from beech wood cellulose. The modal is a solid fabric, which absorbs moisture well while remaining dry. It is soft and breathable, fluid and smooth and does not keep odors. It is also pleasantly fresh to the touch with a nice fall and holds well in time because it does not deform. But it is not very insulating. We use this category of fabric for clothing and sportswear, underwear and linen.

Other fabrics in artificial fibers: lurex, acetate or cellulose acetate, cupro…

To differentiate each type of fabric, you can practice the ultimate flame test or match test.

Attention danger! Take all the usual precautions if you do the flame test.

To be carried out outside or far from any object likely to ignite, and apart from the presence of children.

To differentiate each type of fabric, you can practice the ultimate flame test or match test.

Natural fabrics

Cotton, linen

  • Immine immediately in contact with the flame
  • Do not wither in front of the flame
  • burn easily
  • White ash with black border
  • Once removed from the flame, the fabric continues to burn slightly with a small residual glowing
  • smell
  • shape of small white or gray stuffed animals

Silk and wool

  • withered in front of the flame – yellow flame
  • burns slowly – goes out on its own
  • gives off a smell of burned hair
  • The fabric wraps in the center and crumbles completely, it forms small black dumplings
  • Silk gives off the smell of grilled meat
  • Wool gives off the smell of hair or grilled hair

Synthetic or artificial tissues

Viscose

  • Yellow flame – burns quickly and turns off quickly
  • characteristics quite similar to cotton or linen
  • black ash
  • The smell of smoke looks like burned paper
  • gray ashes that crumble entirely

Polyester and synthetic fibers

  • way to burn similar to plastic
  • Yellow flame-The fabric retracts on itself and continues to heat
  • Burnt plastic smell
  • The burned end becomes hard and brittle
  • It does not crumble, but makes hard bouloches that stick and melted with sticky filaments

But this test does not make it possible to differentiate all the tissues.

For example, velvet can be cotton or synthetic fabric, since it is a type of weaving and that the wires can be changed. Just as the jersey, which is knitted and not woven with a flexible son. Or the pancake or satin which can also come from natural or synthetic threads since it is the weaving armor that differentiates them!

There is no code for the mixture of different threads and today, there are very diverse associations and textiles with various provenances. We get lost!

For your sewing work, before getting a large fabric film, get advice by professionals who will guide you on the fabrics and wires to be favored according to your works to be made, dresses or decorative accessories.

The fabricshop team is available to answer all your questions!



Home Decor