Clothing Material - Clothing Materials

Clothing Materials

Clothing is generally made of cloth. There are many different types of cloth, with different names and uses. Main differences between types of cloth include how the cloth was made (woven or knitted, and how either of those techniques were implemented), what fiber it was made from, and what weight the cloth is. Different types of cloth are used for different types of clothing.

Some common natural clothing materials are:

  • Clothing, typically made of cotton, flax, wool, ramie, silk
  • Denim
  • Leather
  • Down for down-filled parkas
  • Fur

Some clothing is made from synthetic fibers, which are man made and not biodegradable, made primarily from petrochemicals:

  • Nylon was first produced in 1935. Nylon is a thermoplastic silky material. It became famous when used in women's stockings ("nylons") in 1940. It was intended to be a synthetic replacement for silk and substituted for it in many different products after silk became scarce during World War II.
  • Polyesters include naturally-occurring chemicals and synthetics. Natural polyesters and a few synthetic ones are biodegradable, but most synthetic polyesters are not. Polyesters may change shape after the application of heat and are combustible at high temperatures. They tend to shrink away from flames and self-extinguish upon ignition. Polyester fibers have high tenacity and E-modulus as well as low water absorption and minimal shrinkage in comparison with other industrial fibers.
  • Elastane (or spandex) is known for its exceptional elasticity. It is stronger and more durable than rubber, its major non-synthetic competitor. It was invented in 1959.

Less-common clothing materials include:

  • Acetate
  • Bamboo
  • Cupro
  • Hemp
  • Flannel
  • Jute
  • Lyocell
  • PVC-Polyvinyl chloride
  • Rayon
  • Recycled or Recovered Cotton
  • Recycled PET
  • Recycled paper
  • Rubber
  • Soy
  • Tyvek
  • Other Natural Fibers

Reinforcing materials such as wood, bone, plastic and metal may be used in fasteners or to stiffen garments.

Read more about this topic:  Clothing Material

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