Material categories and properties
All materials have physical and working properties. Physical properties are the traits a material has before it is used, whereas working properties are how the material behaves when it is manipulated.
Textiles - natural and synthetic fibres
Types of textiles and their uses
Fibres can be classified into two categories:
- natural polymers
- manufactured (or synthetic) polymers
Fibres are twisted into yarns, which are either woven or knitted into fabrics. These fabrics have their own characteristics, but often reflect the properties of the fibre.
Natural fibres
Natural fibres come from plants, animals or insects. They are easily renewable and biodegradable.
| Natural fibre | Properties | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton (plant) | Highly absorbent so is comfortable to wear, strong and durable, easy to care for but can shrink and has poor elasticity so creases | Most clothing, bed linen, upholstery fabric and in the medical industry (because it can be boiled) |
| Linen (plant) | Highly absorbent and cool to wear, very strong and durable, poor elasticity so creases easily | Summer clothing, upholstery fabric, table clothes and napkins |
| Hemp (plant) | Absorbent, strong and naturally antibacterial | Carpets, rugs and ropes |
| Jute (plant) | Absorbent and very strong but coarse | Bags, sacks for vegetables, carpets and twine |
| Wool (animal) | Absorbent with good insulating properties due to the fibre’s natural crimp (curl), has good elasticity so doesn’t crease much, relatively strong but can shrink on washing | Jumpers, suits, carpets and blankets |
| Silk (insect) | Drapes well and has good lustre (sheen), absorbent but difficult to wash and creases | Luxury clothing, eg dresses, underwear and bedding |
Manufactured (or synthetic) fibres
Synthetic fibres are made mainly from non-renewable coal and oil refined into monomers, which join together in a process called polymerisation. The do not degrade easily but they can be made into any length (continuous filament) and thickness and for any purpose.
| Manufactured fibre | Properties | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic | Like all synthetic fibres, has good strength with good elastic properties so doesn’t crease, has poor absorbency but can be a good insulator if crimp is added to replicate wool fibres | Jumpers and other knitted clothing that looks like wool, fake fur jackets |
| Polyester | Hardwearing with good tensile strength, good elasticity but poor absorbency, a highly versatile fibre | Clothing and sportswear |
| Nylon (polyamide) | A hardwearing fibre with good tensile strength, has good elasticity so doesn’t crease and is resistant to chemicals, not absorbent and melts easily | Parachutes, tents, rucksacks, sports clothing, rope and carpets |
| Elastane | Highly elastic and stretchy, strong and hardwearing | Clothing such as leotards, swimming costumes and gym clothing, mixed with cotton in T-shirts for a better fit |
Blended
Blended fibres are mixtures of fibres that combine properties of two or more fibres.
| Blended fibre | Properties | End uses |
|---|---|---|
| Polycotton | A blend of cotton (60%) and polyester (40%) fibres to improve the properties of each, cotton has poor elasticity and creases but polyester has good elasticity so doesn’t crease, cotton is absorbent so comfortable to wear but polyester isn’t absorbent so doesn’t let the skin breathe as well | Easy care shirts, bed linen and duvet covers |