From Fibre to Fabric: Understanding the Foundation of Textiles

Introduction

Every piece of fabric starts with something simple: a fibre. Whether it’s the softness of cotton or the shimmer of silk, the journey from a single fibre to a wearable fabric is fascinating and important to understand — especially when choosing quality textiles. In this blog, we’ll explore what fibres are, their types, and how they transform into the fabrics we use every day.

What is a Fibre?

A fibre is the basic unit of any fabric — like the thread of life in the textile world. These are fine, hair-like structures that are spun into yarn and then woven or knitted into fabric.

Types of fibres

Natural Fibres

(Plants or Animals)

Plant

• Cotton (from cotton plant)
• Linen (from flax plant)
• Hemp (from hemp plant)
• Jute (from jute plant)
• Ramie (from ramie plant)
• Coir (from coconut husk)

Animal

• Silk (from silkworm)
• Wool (from sheep)
• Alpaca (from alpaca)
• Mohair (from angora goat)
• Cashmere (from cashmere goat)
• Camel hair (from Bactrian camel)

Synthetic Fibres (man-made)

Fully synthetic fibres

• Polyester (from petroleum-based polymers)
• Polyamide (from a diamine)
• Acrylic (from acrylonitrile)
• Spandex (from polyurethane-based polymers)
• Polypropylene (from synthetic polymer)

Semi-synthetic fibres

• Modal (from beech tree pulp)
• Rayon (from regenerated cellulose)
• Lyocell (from wood pulp)
• Acetate (from acetic acid and acetic anhydride)
• Cupro (from regenerated cellulose)
• Viscose (from regenerated cellulose)

High-performance synthetic fibres

• Aramids (from aromatic polyamides)
• Carbon fibres (from polyacrylonitrile)