The following list of fibers used in the making of textiles and apparel are intended to provide definitions and descriptions on each. Some fibers have been omitted due to their unsuitability for use in clothing manufacturing. We consider this a work in progress with the intention of providing constant updating as we learn from experts practicing in the global marketplace.
Alpaca : Alpaca fleece is a lustrous, silky natural fiber, occurring in 22 different colors and two types. The first type, suri, is long and rather straight, while the second, huacaya, is shorter and wavier. While similar to sheep's wool, it is warmer, not prickly, and contains no lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic. Alpaca don't require that their fleece be treated with insecticides, need no antibiotic treatment, eat little compared to other fiber-bearing creatures, and need little care from humans during their 15 to 20 year lifespan. Like sheep, they need not be slaughtered to obtain fiber, which is a renewable resource that grows each year. Alpaca is durable, and (depending on the garment made) often hand-washable. Alpaca originally hail from South America, but have flourished in both the U.S. and Canada. There are about 30 alpaca farms in the United States.Angora : Angora is a fiber from the silky, downy coat of the Angora rabbit. Apart from its thin fibers and silky feel, angora is best known for its halo, or fluffiness. Angora is produced in Europe, Chile, China, Canada, and the United States. Harvesting occurs up to three times a year, and is collected by plucking, shearing, or collection of the molting fur. Most breeds of Angora rabbits molt with their natural growth cycle about every four months. The rabbits should be groomed at least twice monthly to prevent the fur from matting. Many producers of the fiber pluck the fur, pulling out the molted fur to ensure a minimum of guard hair. Plucking a rabbit is time consuming, so some producers shear the rabbit instead, resulting in slightly lower quality fiber, as the guard hairs are included. However, this takes less time and results in greater yield. Angora rabbits are bred in a variety of colors, from white to black. Angora is often blended with wool, silk, or various synthetics.
Bamboo : Bamboo is a naturally organic tropical grass, requiring neither fertilizers nor pesticides, and also requiring little water for its very rapid growth. The fiber is naturally round and silky, and shares with silk the property of wicking moisture away from the skin. The fabrics produced from bamboo are very permeable to air, so the skin stays fresh and cool, while protecting the wearer from 98% of the sun's burning rays. Bamboo is also quick to dry after laundering. Many people who experience allergic reactions to other natural fibers, such as wool or hemp, or have sensitivity to chemicals used in pesticides and other processing chemicals from non-organic and synthetic fibers,†do not have such issues with bamboo. Bamboo fiber is naturally smooth and round without chemical treatment, meaning that there are no sharp spurs to irritate the skin. As a type of rayon, bamboo requires toxic chemicals in its manufacture, but it can be produced by an innovative process reclaiming and recycling 100% of these chemicals in a hermetic container.
Banana Fiber (Abaca) : Although more often used for making paper, banana plants have long been a source of fiber for high quality textiles. In Japan, where its use for fiber dates back at least seven centuries, shoots are cut from the plant periodically to ensure softness. Harvested shoots are first boiled in lye to prepare fibers for yarn making. These banana shoots produce fibers of varying degrees of softness, yielding yarns and textiles with differing qualities for specific uses. The outermost fibers of the shoots are the coarsest, and are suitable for tablecloths, while the softest innermost fibers are desirable for kimonos. This traditional Japanese cloth-making process requires many steps, all performed by hand. In Nepal, the trunk is harvested instead, and small pieces are subjected to a softening process, mechanical fiber extraction, bleaching and drying. After that, the fibers are sent to the Kathmandu Valley for use in silky rugs, woven by traditional Nepalese hand-knotting methods.
Camel Hair : Camel hair derives from the Bactrian camel, found from Turkey east to China, and north to Siberia. A camel can produce around 5 pounds of hair a year, and the fiber is collected by a number of methods including combing, shearing, and collecting the hair shed naturally during the annual molt in late spring. After collection, the fibers are sorted, de-haired, cleaned, spun (either alone, or with wool or other fibers), then either knitted or woven. The hair, which occurs in a natural range of colors from golden tan to red to brown, has thermostatic properties which can protect and insulate the camel from extreme cold conditions, as well as keeping them cool in the desert. These same properties and characteristics are transferred when making fabrics woven from camel hair. Camel hair is often blended with fine wool to create fabrics for coats, suits, jackets and blazers, skirts, socks, sweaters, gloves, scarves, mufflers, and caps and robes. The long coarser hair removed in the de-hairing process is also used for carpet backing, as well as waterproof coats that are very warm for colder climates. Camel hair garments must be hand washed or dry cleaned.
Cashmere : Cashmere comes from combing out the under-hairs of Kashmir goats, a breed native to the Himalayas but now raised worldwide. Its use as a textile dates to the third century B.C. Many of the finest cashmere fabrics are produced in Italy, although China leads the world in production. Natural cashmere ranges in color from off-white to brown, although much of it is dyed in fashion colors. Cashmere is lighter in weight than other wools, and offers excellent insulation. It is durable, and a well-made garment can last for decades. Cashmere resists wrinkling, making it ideal for travel.
Hemp : Although George Washington and other founders raised hemp, its production is not legal in the U.S. One acre of hemp will produce two to three times the fiber an acre of cotton will, while requiring far less water, and no pesticides or herbicides. Its need for fertilizer ranges from none to minimal, depending upon the soil. It grows in a wide variety of climates, and it is among the first crops cultivated by humans. Although once limited to rope and coarse fabrics like burlap, hemp fabrics are now among the softest, smoothest, and most durable available.
Ingeo : Ingeo is a trademark for a man-made fiber made from renewable resources (plants), as opposed to oil. This is a new fabric made from fermented plant sugars, usually derived from corn. This is actually one of its pitfalls, since conventionally grown corn is one of the most chemical-dependent crops on the planet (conventional cotton and corn are the top two), using roughly 25% of the world's insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides. Another problem is that these 'bioplastics' are said to be biodegradable, but only under high heat. Corn is also a huge land hog, and uses a great deal of water. But making Ingeo requires about half as much energy as is required to make cotton, even organic cotton.
Linen : The process of cultivating linen is as clean as that of organic cotton, but uses far less water. Linen fiber grows naturally from the flax plant, and requires no chemical fertilizer. It is naturally pale in color, and takes dye beautifully. Highly absorbent and a good conductor of heat, linen fabric feels cool to the touch, and is hypoallergenic. Linen is among the strongest of the plant fibers, with two to three times the strength of cotton. It is smooth, making the finished fabric lint free, and gets softer the more it is washed. However, constant creasing in the same place in sharp folds will tend to break the linen threads. This wear can show up in collars, hems, and any area that is iron-creased after laundering. Linen has poor elasticity and does not spring back readily, explaining why it wrinkles so easily. Linen fabrics have a high natural luster; their natural color ranges among shades of ivory, ecru, tan, or grey. It does not attract clothes moths, unlike wool, silk, and cotton. It is also very stain-resistant. Flax fiber use in textiles dates back approximately 36,000 years. Flax is grown in many parts of the world, but top quality flax is primarily grown in Western Europe. In recent years, bulk linen production has moved to Eastern Europe and China, but high quality fabrics are still confined to niche producers in Ireland, Italy and Belgium. Other linen-producing countries include Poland, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Britain and India.
Lyocell : This is the generic name for the Tencel brand of rayon.† It is made from wood pulp, so it is both biodegradable and recyclable. Lyocell is created through a process called solvent spinning. The wood pulp is dissolved in chemicals, creating a solution called "dope" which is then pushed through a spinneret to form the individual fibers. After the dope has been spun, the fibers are washed and the chemicals retrieved from the water, purified, and recycled. Producing this fabric involves fewer emissions, and less energy and water usage than other more conventional fabrics, and it requires no bleaching before dyeing.
Merino Wool : Merino is a breed of sheep originating in Spain, but is now also bred in New Zealand and Australia. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep. Merino wool is used in high-end, performance athletic wear, mostly because of its ability to regulate body temperature. The wool provides some warmth, without overheating the wearer. The fabric is slightly moisture repellent (keratin fibers are hydrophobic at one end and hydrophilic at the other), allowing the wearer to avoid the feeling of wetness. Like cotton, wool absorbs water (up to 1/3 its weight) but, unlike cotton, wool retains warmth when wet, making it popular among hikers and climbers. Like most wools (excluding Alpaca), merino contains lanolin, which has antibacterial properties. Merino is one of the softest types of wool available, due to finer fibers and smaller scales. Merino has an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio compared to other wools, in part because the smaller fibers traps body heat similarly to the way a sleeping bag warms its occupant.
Modal : Modal is essentially a variety of rayon; a cellulose fiber made by spinning reconstituted cellulose from beech trees. It is about 50% more water-absorbent per unit volume than cotton, it dyes just like cotton, and is resistant to shrinkage and fading. The only real difference between Modal and Lyocell is that Lyocell is made from a variety of wood pulp, and Modal uses only beech wood.
Mohair : Mohair is wool shorn from the Angora goat. It is one of the oldest textile fibers in use. Mohair is durable and resilient; notable for its high luster and sheen, and is often used in fiber blends to add these qualities to a textile. Mohair also takes dye exceptionally well. Mohair is warm, with great insulating properties. It is resistant to stretching, flame and creasing. It is a luxury fiber, and is more expensive than wool from sheep. Mohair is composed mostly of keratin, a protein found in the hair, wool, horns and skin of all mammals. While it has scales like wool, the scales are not fully developed, merely indicated. Thus, mohair does not felt as wool does. Mohair increases its diameter with the age of the goat, growing along with the animal. Fine hair from younger animals is used for applications such as clothing, and the thicker hair from older animals is more often used for carpets and heavy fabrics intended for outerwear. Mohair is shorn from the goat without harming the animal. Shearing is done twice a year, in the spring and fall. One goat will produce 11 to 17 pounds of mohair a year. Shearing is done on a clean-swept floor, with extra care taken to keep the hair clean and free of debris. The hair is then processed to remove natural grease, dirt and vegetable matter. Mohair grows in uniform locks. The Angora goat is a single-coat breed, so unlike cashmere, there is no need to de-hair mohair fleece to separate coarse hair from down hair. South Africa is the largest producer of mohair today, with the U.S. second. Most U.S. mohair comes from Texas.
Nettle : Nettle fabric is developed from the Brennessel plant and was very popular in medieval times, when upper-class women often preferred it to silk. This plant grows in almost any type of ground, and it requires very little fertilization because the plant does not leach minerals from soil. The fiber is resistant to vermin and parasites, and can be grown without pesticides and herbicides. It can be more finely woven than cotton, and can have the gloss of silk. The fiber is hollow, and this makes it possible for nettle fabric to breathe and be insulating at the same time. Fabric woven of nettle has been found in burial sites dating back to the Bronze Age.
Organic Cotton : Organic cotton is grown in subtropical countries such as America and India; the largest producers are Turkey, India, and China, To qualify as organic, cotton must be produced from non-genetically modified seed, and grown without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals, such as petro-chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Its production also promotes and enhances biodiversity and biological cycles. In the U.S., cotton plantations must also meet the requirements enforced by the National Organic Program (NOP), from the USDA, in order to be considered organic. As of 2007, 265,517 bales of organic cotton were produced in 24 countries, and worldwide production was growing at a rate of more than 50% per annum. Despite all that, we must recognize that cotton has a huge water footprint, and that just because it's organic, does not mean automatically that other aspects of the garments we purchase (dye, fabric finishing, labor standards) are sustainable. Know your source.
Organic Wool : In order for U.S. wool to be certified as organic, it must be produced in accordance with federal standards for organic livestock production. Federal requirements for organic livestock production include: livestock feed and forage used from the last third of gestation must be certified organic; use of synthetic hormones and genetic engineering is prohibited; use of synthetic pesticides (internal, external, and on pastures) is prohibited; and producers must encourage livestock health through good cultural and management practices. Additionally, sheep cannot be dipped in parasiticides (insecticides) to control external parasites such as ticks and lice, and organic livestock producers are required to ensure that they do not exceed the natural carrying capacity of the land on which their animals graze. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic producers use only methods and materials allowed in organic production. The Organic Trade Association has developed standards that apply to the processing of organic wool.
Piña (Pineapple Silk) : Piña is made from pineapple leaves and originally was turned into wedding attire in the Philippines. The fiber is scraped from the pineapple leaf using a piece of broken plate or coconut shell: a fast scraper can extract fiber from over 500 leaves per day. Kalibo, Aklan is the main and the oldest manufacturer/weaver of piña cloth in the Phillippines, which is being exported to various parts of the world including North America and Europe. Piña weaving is an age-old tradition, revived in the past 20 years. Historical records suggest that Kalibo's piña cloth was traded during the Pre-Hispanic colonial times and reached as far as Greece and Egypt during its heyday, although the pineapple plant was brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards from the Americas. Pineapple silk is considered the queen of Philippine fabrics and is often the fabric of choice of the Philippine elite. It can also be combined with silk and other fibers.
Qiviut : Rare, warm, beautiful, and durable, qiviut is an Inuit word for the musk ox. This ice age mammal still exists in northern latitudes, and has been domesticated since the 1960s. The musk ox has a two-layered coat, and qiviut refers specifically to the soft undercoat beneath the longer outer hairs. The musk ox sheds this undercoat each spring. Qiviut is plucked during the molt, or gathered from objects the animals have brushed against; the animals are not sheared. People allergic to wool have no such problem with soft, silky qiviut, which is naturally colored in a range from gray to brown. Much of the commercially available qiviut now comes from Canada, and is obtained from the pelts of musk oxen after hunts. In Alaska, qiviut is obtained from farmed animals or gathered from the wild during the molt. Either way, the qiviut is de-haired and carded (similar to cashmere), then spun into yarn. An adult musk ox produces between four and seven pounds of qiviut annually. Unlike wool, qiviut does not shrink, no matter the water temperature, and gets even softer and silkier when washed. Qiviut is stronger and many times warmer than wool; it is much softer than cashmere.
Ramie : Ramie is one of the oldest fiber crops, having been used for at least six thousand years, and was used as the outermost fabric wrapping Egyptian mummies. It is a bast fiber, and the part used is the bark (phloem) of the stalks. Ramie is normally harvested two to three times a year but under good growing conditions can be harvested up to six times annually. However, unlike some other bast crops, ramie requires chemical processing to de-gum the fiber. Harvesting is done just before or soon after the beginning of flowering, because after this time, there is a decline in plant growth. Extracting the fiber requires three stages. First, the cortex or bark is removed; this can be done by hand or by machine. Second, the cortex is scraped to remove most of the outer bark and some of the gums and pectins. Finally, the residual cortex material is washed, dried, and de-gummed to extract the spinnable fiber. Ramie is one of the strongest natural fibers. It exhibits even greater strength when wet. Ramie fiber is known especially for its ability to hold shape, reduce wrinkling, and introduce a silky luster to the appearance of fabric. It is not as durable as other fibers, and so is usually used as a blend with cotton or wool. It is similar to flax in absorbency, density and microscopic appearance. However it will not dye as well as cotton. China leads in the production of ramie and exports mainly to Japan and Europe. Other producers include Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Brazil.
Raw / Wild Silk (Peace Silk) : Raw, wild silk lets the silkworm live out its full life cycle. It is raised and processed differently than commercial silk. Rather than being killed in their cocoons in the conventional manner, the moths are allowed to emerge from their cocoons to live out their full life cycle. The production of wild silk involves venturing into the wild to gather cocoons that moths have naturally left behind. The silk is degummed and spun like other fiber, instead of being reeled. The results are virtually the same. The yarn is flexible, soft, and airy, like conventional silk, but no moth has to sacrifice its life.
Recycled PET : Approximately 31% of plastic bottles produced in the United States are made from a material called Polyethylene Terephtalate, "PET" or "PETE." Usually clear or green, the plastic is mostly used for consumer goods such as soda bottles and food jars. According to the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), in 2006, the total number of pounds of PET bottles and jars available in the U.S. for recycling was 5.424 billion, among which, over 45 billion plastic containers ended up in landfills. Such a high production volume and low recovery rate makes finding uses for post-consumer plastics imperative. If the current rate of manufacturing and consumer recycling remains, 40 billion pounds of PET waste will be added to our landfills within only a decade. Unfortunately, many plastic containers are discarded roadside, and ultimately, via waterways, end up as plastic pollution throughout the world's oceans, where it degrades into smaller and smaller pieces and is often eaten by sea creatures and birds. Recycled PET is a durable fabric made from post consumer recycled plastic bottles & containers (although, like other polyester fabric, it does not breathe). Choosing products made from recycled PET promotes a more sustainable path for plastic, and is a good alternative to virgin polyester. Recycled PET is also providing new manufacturing jobs in the U.S.
Seacell : Seacell is a fabric made out of lyocell (a 100% wood pulp fiber) and seaweed. It is theorized that human skin will absorb nutrients from the seaweed, which is quite mineral and vitamin-rich. The fabric was devised in Germany, and has been certified by the European Eco-Label, which promotes green products. The manufacturer says that the porous, open structure of the Seacell fibers breathe well, and absorb what your skin expels. It is quite soft, and becomes even softer after laundering.
Silk : Silk production began in China at least 3,500 years ago. Silk moths lay eggs on specially prepared paper, where they hatch. The caterpillars (silkworms) are fed fresh mulberry leaves. After about 35 days and four molts, the caterpillars are 10,000 times heavier than when hatched and are ready to begin spinning a cocoon. A straw frame is placed over the tray of caterpillars, and each caterpillar begins spinning a cocoon by moving its head in a "figure 8" pattern. Two glands produce liquid silk and force it through openings in the head called spinnerets. Liquid silk is coated in sericin, a water-soluble protective gum, and solidifies on contact with the air. Within two to three days, the caterpillar spins about a mile of filament and is completely encased in a cocoon. The silk farmers then kill most caterpillars by heat, leaving some to metamorphose into moths to breed the next generation. Harvested cocoons are then soaked in boiling water to soften the sericin holding the silk fibers together in a cocoon shape. The fibers are then unwound to produce a continuous, protein-rich thread. Since a single thread is too fine and fragile for commercial use, anywhere from three to ten strands are spun together to form a single thread of silk. The shimmering appearance of silk is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fiber, which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles, thus producing different colors. Although silk is a natural, comfortable fiber that wicks perspiration away from the skin, it may be dyed or finished with toxic chemicals.
Vicuña : Vicuña is warmer than any other wool. Its warming properties come from the tiny scales on the hollow air-filled fibers, which interlock and trap insulating air. It is also finer than any other wool in the world, measuring 12 micrometers in diameter, but since it is sensitive to chemical treatment, the wool is usually left in its natural color. The vicuña, a camelid (like the llama), will only produce about one pound of wool a year and gathering it requires a certain process. During the time of the Incas, vicuña fibers were gathered by a communal effort called chacu, in which multitudes of people herded hundreds of thousands of vicuña into previously laid funnel traps. The animals were sheared and then released; this was only done once every four years. The vicuña was believed to be the reincarnation of a beautiful young maiden who received a coat of pure gold once she consented to the advances of an old, ugly king. Because of this, it was against the law for anyone to kill a vicuña or wear its fleece, except for Inca royalty. At present, the Peruvian government has a labeling system that identifies all garments that have been created through a government-sanctioned chacu. This guarantees that the animal was captured, sheared alive, returned to the wild, and cannot be sheared again for another two years. The program also ensures that a large portion of the profits return to the villagers. However, annually up to 50,000 pounds of vicuña wool are exported as a result of illegal activities. Because of this, some countries have banned the importation of the fiber to save the animal. Although it is possible to commercially produce wool from domesticated vicuñas, it is difficult, because they tend to escape.