Types of Fabric and Their Uses

Over the past few centuries, a great number of fabrics have been discovered or invented. This means there's a great variety of fabric for use in apparel and home d?cor. Choosing the right fabric for your requirements is important, as each has its strength and weaknesses. Let's take a look at some of the most common fabrics and their uses:

 

Cotton

Cotton is a natural legging fabric and one of the most popular fabrics for a number of reasons. It is easy to wash and does not fade easily. Cotton is also quite resilient, so it will not show signs of wear quickly. The main problem with cotton is that it wrinkles easily, so it's often blended with polyester.

 

Polyester

 

Polyester is a synthetic fiber that's strong, easy to wash and wrinkle-free. It dries quickly and does not require dry cleaning. However, stains on the fabric are not easy to remove. Polyester is often blended with other fabrics. You can also learn more about fabrics by checking out the post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-black/7-startups-shaking-up-the_1_b_9664366.html.

 

Silk

 

Silk is a very strong natural fiber spun by the Chinese silkworm. It is smooth and lustrous, but unlike synthetic fibers, is not slippery. Silk is however quite delicate and therefore not easy to care for--it stains easily and wrinkles easily.

 

Wool

 

We all know wool as hair from sheep. It's great for making warm clothing, but still still versatile enough for other uses, including carpeting.

 

Nylon

 

This is yet man-made fiber. It is strong, lightweight, and easy to wash. It has a somewhat silky texture and is resistant to moisture and dirt. It dries quickly and does not fade easily. Overall, nylon is very easy to care for.

 

Linen

 

Linen is a natural fiber that's at least twice as strong as cotton. It is able to withstand higher temperatures than cotton, and is quite resistant to dirt and stains. These qualities make linen easy to care for. The fabric wrinkles easily, however, but some people like this quality too. Linen is relatively expensive so it's not as common as the other fabrics.

 

If you saw garments, the wrong choice of fabric can ruin your sewing project, so you may want to do a little bit of research first. When choosing a fabric, some of the most important factors to consider include clean-ability, sustainability, and intended use. There are a number of places where you can order wholesale fabric online, so be sure to buy from a fabric warehouse to get the best prices.