i saw a lot of people complaining about how much clothing is made of plastic in the tags and thought it might be helpful to provide a list of fiber types so that it's easier to identify what your clothes are actually made out of when you buy them <3
a note: i try to cover all of the most popular fibers (sometimes grouping different subcategories/trademarks together for simplicity), but there are definitely some rarer fibers I've left out of this list.
natural fibers have been around for centuries. they naturally occur as fibrous materials capable of being spun into threads. each natural fiber has its own purpose, but they each share a few qualities: some level of breathability, taking on dyes quite well, and being biodegradable!
-Linen: one of the oldest fibers in the world, quick drying, durable, and extremely breathable (great for hot weather), wrinkles quite easily, made from flax (sometimes also made from or referred to as hemp), considered one of the most sustainable fabrics, can be a bit pricey compared to cotton
-Cotton: the cheapest and most readily available natural fiber on the market, extremely versatile, breathable, can be very soft and light-weight or thick and sturdy (think a soft cotton tee vs a good pair of jeans), uses a LOT of water in production
-Wool: derived from the fleece of an animal's coat (usually a sheep or goat) and often labeled according to the particular source (merino, mohair, cashmere, etc.), is a lot more versatile than most people are aware of, water resistant (and capable of retaining warmth even when wet), antimicrobial (and therefor odor-reducing), and breathable, an extremely sustainable fiber alongside linen, durable but sensitive to heat and motion (which is why wool should be hand washed in cold water and never put in a dryer)
-Silk: a fiber secreted by insects (usually mulberry silkworms), one of the most expensive natural fibers (and therefore the most commonly mimicked by synthetics), capable of being extremely light-weight and buttery smooth, but also woven into sturdier fabrics, shiny and luxurious, more breathable than synthetics but can be a bit stuffy in hot weather, utilized mostly for luxury garments, potentially antibacterial and good for sensitive skin
semi-synthetics are made from a naturally occurring material (cellulose, usually from wood pulp). but, this material has to be regenerated into a fiber capable of being spun. semi-synthetics do biodegrade and are generally considered more environmentally friendly than synthetics. they also carry over the quality of breathability from their natural fiber friends.
-Rayon: also called modal, viscose, acetate, or cupro, often referred to as artificial silk, can be hard to differentiate from other fibers by touch alone, utilizes harsh chemicals in production and produces a lot of water waste
-Lyocell: also called tencel, is basically the same thing as rayon, but is produced differently, without the use of toxic chemicals and less water waste. that means, however, that these fibers are pricier than rayon.
synthetic fibers are extremely common in modern clothing because they're, say it with me, a petroleum product! this means they're a byproduct from refining oil, and there's nothing oil companies love more than to make extra profit, especially when the availability of oil is decreasing! synthetic fibers are, for the most part, extremely cheap and available on the market. they're often utilized for being "quick-drying" in sports clothing or bathing suits. while this is technically true, they're also not breathable and will often make you sweat more, won't wick that sweat away, and won't help with odor. one of the selling points of synthetics is that they don't usually wrinkle or stretch. however, synthetic fibers do not decompose, are often created through heavy chemical processes, release microplastics into our water, and the fashion industry is one of the world's biggest polluters </3 take that as you will!
-Polyester: the most common, serves basically no practical purpose, usually feels cheap; though technically all synthetics are petroleum products (plastic), polyester is the fiber most commonly referred to as plastic
-Acrylic: made using shorter plastic threads, usually to imitate wool, can be extremely scratchy/itchy (sometimes moreso than a real course wool), often used in sweaters and other heavier materials
-Nylon: developed as a silk alternative, usually finer and more light weight than polyester, often used in blends, has good stretch (most commonly used in stockings)
-Spandex: also called lycra or elastane, very stretchy, often used in sports and shapewear, commonly included in a blend (you'll see 95% cotton, 5% spandex at times. in reality, that fabric is going to act almost entirely as cotton would, just with a bit of extra stretch. this sort of thing is common enough that you won't always be able to avoid it when trying to avoid synthetics. that's okay, take the 95% cotton as W).
alright, that's it for now! have fun looking at the fiber content on your clothing! good luck! <3
kianamaiart
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