Types of Fabric: A Practical Guide to Clothing Materials

Fabric types are described by two separate things that are easy to confuse: the fibre the cloth is made from, and the construction used to turn that fibre into cloth. Cotton, polyester and wool are fibres. Jersey, twill and fleece are constructions. A garment labelled 100% cotton jersey is cotton fibre knitted into a jersey structure, and the same cotton woven into twill behaves nothing like it. Almost every practical question about how a fabric feels, drapes, stretches, shrinks or takes a print is answered by those two facts together.

In this guide

Fibre against fabric, and why it matters

Most fabric lists mix two different kinds of word together, which is why they are confusing to read. Sorting them out takes one paragraph and makes everything afterwards easier.

A fibre is the raw material. Cotton, wool, silk, linen, polyester, nylon and viscose are fibres. The fibre decides how the cloth behaves chemically: whether it absorbs water, how it responds to heat, how it takes dye, whether it will bond with a sublimation print.

A construction is what happens when that fibre is turned into cloth. Jersey, rib, French terry, fleece, twill, canvas and poplin are constructions. The construction decides how the cloth behaves physically: whether it stretches, how it drapes, how it frays, how much it weighs for a given thickness.

So 100% cotton jersey is a complete description: cotton fibre, jersey knit. 100% cotton on its own tells you almost nothing useful, because cotton twill, cotton jersey and cotton canvas are three completely different materials. When a supplier will only tell you the fibre, you have not been told the important half.

A third element sits alongside them: the yarn. The same cotton can be combed or carded, ring-spun or open-end, and made into a fine or coarse yarn. That is why two 180 GSM cotton jerseys can feel entirely different. Yarn quality is the part nobody writes on a label and the part that most determines whether a tee feels cheap.

Natural, synthetic and regenerated fibres

Fibres fall into three families. The third is the one usually left out, and it causes most of the confusion around bamboo and viscose.

Natural fibres grow. Cotton, linen and hemp come from plants; wool, cashmere and silk come from animals. They are absorbent, they breathe, they take dye readily, and they crease and shrink more than synthetics.

Synthetic fibres are made from petrochemicals. Polyester, nylon, acrylic and elastane are extruded as continuous filaments. They are strong, they hold shape, they dry quickly, and they do not absorb moisture, which is both their advantage in sportswear and the reason they hold odour.

Regenerated or cellulosic fibres sit between the two and are the source of most labelling confusion. Viscose, modal and lyocell begin as natural cellulose, usually wood pulp, which is chemically dissolved and extruded as a new filament. The raw material is natural; the fibre is manufactured. This is why "bamboo fabric" is almost always bamboo viscose rather than anything mechanically made from bamboo, and why calling it a natural fabric is misleading.

None of these families is simply better than another. Natural fibres breathe and age well but crease and shrink. Synthetics hold shape and colour but trap heat and odour. Regenerated fibres drape beautifully and often feel superb, and are usually the weakest when wet. What matters is the match between the fibre and the garment.

Knitted against woven

This is the single most useful distinction in garment production and it decides more about a finished piece than the fibre does.

Knitted fabric is made from one continuous yarn looped through itself. Because the loops can move against each other, knit stretches in at least one direction without any elastane at all. Jersey, rib, interlock, French terry and fleece are knits. Almost all casualwear and streetwear is knitted: t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, joggers, most activewear. Knits are comfortable, forgiving of fit, and prone to curling at raw edges and to laddering if a loop breaks.

Woven fabric is made from two sets of yarns crossing at right angles, warp running the length and weft across it. Wovens have very little natural give, so any stretch must come from added elastane. Twill, denim, canvas, poplin and ripstop are wovens. Shirts, trousers, jackets and structured garments are woven. Wovens hold a crisp shape, press well, and fray at cut edges unless finished.

The practical consequence is that they are not interchangeable. A pattern drafted for a knit assumes the cloth will move with the body; the same pattern cut in a woven will not fit. Knits are sewn with stretch stitches on overlock and coverstitch machines, wovens with lockstitch. Choosing to switch construction part-way through development means redrafting the pattern, not just swapping the roll.

What GSM means, and what it does not

GSM is grams per square metre: the mass of a one-metre square of the cloth. It is a measure of weight, and it is often misread as a measure of quality.

Higher GSM means more material in the same area. That usually means a heavier, warmer, more opaque and more substantial garment, which is why heavyweight tees and hoodies are marketed on the number. It does not mean better. A 400 GSM fleece made from coarse open-end yarn will feel worse than a 280 GSM fleece made from combed ring-spun cotton, and it will pill sooner.

GSM also behaves differently across constructions and fibres. Polyester is less dense than cotton, so a polyester fabric at a given GSM is bulkier than a cotton one at the same number. A looped French terry and a brushed fleece at identical GSM will feel completely different, because one has been mechanically raised and the other has not.

Treat GSM as one specification among several. The useful question is not "what GSM is it" but "what fibre, what yarn, what construction, and what GSM". Our streetwear fabric guide covers the weights we actually run and how they behave in production.

Quick comparison

Fabric Fibre or construction Stretch Breathability Warmth Typical garments
Cotton jersey Construction (knit) Moderate High Low T-shirts, tops
French terry Construction (knit) Moderate High Medium Sweatshirts, joggers
Fleece Construction (knit) Moderate Medium High Hoodies, sweatpants
Rib Construction (knit) High High Low Cuffs, collars, fitted tops
Interlock Construction (knit) Moderate High Low Premium tees, polos
Denim Construction (woven) Low unless blended Medium Medium Jeans, jackets
Twill Construction (woven) Low Medium Medium Chinos, workwear
Canvas Construction (woven) Very low Medium Medium Outerwear, bags
Ripstop Construction (woven) Very low Low to medium Low Shells, technical outerwear
Cotton Natural fibre None inherent High Low Almost everything casual
Wool Natural fibre Moderate High Very high Knitwear, tailoring
Linen Natural fibre None Very high Very low Summer shirting
Silk Natural fibre Low High Low Linings, blouses
Polyester Synthetic fibre Depends on knit Low Medium Sportswear, linings
Nylon Synthetic fibre Low Low Low Shells, technical
Elastane Synthetic fibre Very high Low Low Blended for stretch
Viscose Regenerated fibre Low High Low Drapey tops, linings
Lyocell Regenerated fibre Low High Low Premium casual

Natural fibres

Cotton

The default fibre for casual clothing. Cotton is a plant cellulose fibre that absorbs moisture readily, breathes well, takes reactive and pigment dyes easily and softens with washing. Its weaknesses are that it creases, dries slowly, and shrinks unless the cloth is pre-shrunk before cutting. Cotton is graded largely by staple length: longer staples such as Supima or Egyptian produce smoother, stronger, less pill-prone yarn. Almost all knitted streetwear starts here.

Organic cotton

Cotton grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, certified by schemes such as GOTS. The fibre itself performs like conventional cotton of equivalent staple length. The difference is agricultural and supply-chain, not textile. Treat any claim that organic cotton is inherently softer with caution; softness comes from staple length and finishing.

Linen

Made from flax stalk fibres. Linen is the most breathable common fabric, conducts heat away from the body and gets softer with every wash. It also creases dramatically, which is either the point or a problem depending on the garment. Stiff when new, low in stretch and prone to abrasion at folds. Almost always woven, rarely knitted.

Hemp

A bast fibre similar in behaviour to linen, slightly coarser when new and notably durable. It softens considerably with wear. Increasingly blended with cotton to add strength and reduce the crease tendency of pure linen. Handles like a woven, needs a longer finishing process to reach a comfortable hand.

Wool

Animal protein fibre with a natural crimp that traps air, which is why it insulates so well for its weight. Wool manages moisture better than any synthetic, resists odour and is naturally flame-retardant. Its problems are felting when agitated in heat, and cost. Wool covers a wide quality range, so the word alone tells you very little.

Merino

Wool from Merino sheep, with a much finer fibre diameter than standard wool. Fineness is what removes the prickle, so merino can be worn against the skin. Common in base layers and fine knitwear. More expensive, and delicate: fine merino abrades and pills faster than coarser wool.

Cashmere

The downy undercoat of cashmere goats. Exceptionally fine, light and warm, with a distinctive soft handle. Also weak: short fibres mean cashmere pills readily and loses shape unless well spun and well blended. Quality varies enormously and is driven by fibre length and micron count rather than by percentage on the label.

Silk

A continuous protein filament produced by silkworms. Silk has a natural lustre no synthetic quite reproduces, exceptional strength for its weight, and good thermal regulation. It is damaged by sunlight, perspiration and many detergents, and it water-spots. Mostly used woven, for linings, shirting and blouses.

Synthetic fibres

Polyester

The most widely produced textile fibre in the world. Strong, dimensionally stable, quick-drying, resistant to stretching and shrinking, and cheap. It holds colour very well and is the only fibre that accepts sublimation printing properly, because disperse dye bonds into the polymer. Its weaknesses are breathability and odour retention. Recycled polyester (rPET) performs essentially identically to virgin.

Nylon (polyamide)

Stronger and more abrasion-resistant than polyester, with better elasticity and a smoother handle. Standard for technical shells, linings and anywhere durability matters at low weight. It absorbs slightly more moisture than polyester, dries a little slower, and yellows with prolonged UV exposure. Usually woven for outerwear.

Elastane (spandex, Lycra)

Rarely used alone. Elastane is blended in small proportions, commonly two to five per cent, to give a fabric recovery: the ability to return to shape rather than simply stretch. Even a small percentage transforms how a garment fits and how it survives washing. It degrades with heat, chlorine and time, which is why old stretch garments go slack.

Acrylic

Developed as a wool substitute. Light, warm, holds bright colour and resists moths and sunlight. It pills readily, holds static, and can feel plasticky in cheaper grades. Common in knitwear, beanies and fleece linings where wool would be too costly.

Polypropylene

The lightest common synthetic and completely non-absorbent, so it wicks moisture away rather than holding it. Used in base layers and industrial textiles. It has a low melting point, which limits pressing and heat-based decoration.

Neoprene

A synthetic rubber foam, usually laminated between two knit faces. Thick, springy, water-resistant and structural: it holds a shape rather than draping. Used for statement outerwear and sculptural pieces. Heavy, warm and difficult to sew cleanly at seams.

Polyurethane and coated fabrics

A polyurethane layer applied to a knit or woven base, producing a leather-like or waterproof surface. Performance depends almost entirely on the base cloth and the coating quality. Cheaper PU cracks and delaminates with flexing; better grades survive far longer. Cannot be pressed at normal heat, which rules out most transfer decoration.

Regenerated and cellulosic fibres

Viscose (rayon)

Cellulose, usually wood pulp, dissolved and extruded as a new filament. Viscose drapes beautifully, feels cool and takes dye brilliantly, which is why it is everywhere in fluid tops and dresses. It is significantly weaker when wet, shrinks, and creases. The conventional production process is chemically intensive.

Modal

A viscose variant made from beech pulp with a modified process, producing a stronger, more stable fibre. Modal keeps viscose's softness and drape while surviving washing far better, and resists the shrinkage that plagues standard viscose. Common blended with cotton in premium t-shirts for a silkier hand.

Lyocell (TENCEL)

Made in a closed-loop solvent process that recovers most of the solvent, making it the most environmentally sound of the cellulosics. Stronger than viscose wet or dry, smooth, absorbent and good at moisture management. Increasingly blended into premium casualwear. It can fibrillate — develop a fine surface fuzz — under abrasion.

Bamboo viscose

Almost always viscose made from bamboo pulp rather than anything mechanically produced from bamboo. It behaves like viscose and should be evaluated as viscose. Marketing that presents it as a natural fabric is misleading, and several regulators have acted on exactly that claim.

Acetate

A cellulose ester with a silk-like lustre and good drape, used mainly for linings and eveningwear. Weak, heat-sensitive and damaged by many solvents, so it is rarely used where durability matters.

Knitted constructions

Jersey (single jersey)

The basic knit: one set of needles producing a smooth face and a looped back. Light, stretchy across the width, and the foundation of the t-shirt. Its characteristic behaviour is curling at raw edges, which is why jersey hems are always turned or bound. Prone to twisting after washing if the yarn was not balanced.

French terry

A knit with a smooth face and unbrushed loops on the back. The loops trap air, so it is warmer than jersey without much added weight, and absorbent. Lighter and more breathable than fleece and less likely to pill, because nothing has been mechanically raised. The standard choice for sweatshirts and joggers worn indoors or in mild weather.

Fleece (brushed back)

French terry whose loops have been mechanically brushed open into a soft nap. Brushing traps far more air, making fleece warmer and softer, and also shortens the fibres, which is why fleece pills more readily than terry. The heavyweight hoodie fabric. How aggressively it is brushed matters as much as the GSM.

Rib

Alternating columns of face and reverse loops, producing vertical ridges and very high recovery across the width. Rib is what cuffs, waistbands and collars are made from, because it stretches to go over a hand or head and returns to shape. Described by ratio: 1x1 rib is finer and tighter, 2x2 chunkier.

Interlock

Two jersey fabrics knitted together so both faces are smooth. Heavier and more stable than single jersey, does not curl at the edges, and holds shape well. Used for premium tees, polos and structured knitwear. More expensive and slower to knit.

Piqué

A textured knit with a fine raised waffle surface, most familiar from polo shirts. The texture creates air channels, so it breathes better than a flat knit of equivalent weight and hides creasing. Slightly more stable than jersey.

Mesh

An open knit with deliberate holes for airflow, usually polyester. Used in sportswear panels, linings and jerseys. Ranges from a fine micro-mesh to a wide basketball-jersey open structure. Needs bound or taped edges, as the open structure will not hold a plain hem.

Waffle (thermal)

A knit with a deep three-dimensional grid that traps air in pockets. Warm for its weight and stretchy. Common in base layers and long-sleeve tops. The texture makes flat print application harder than it looks.

Woven constructions

Plain weave

The simplest structure, each weft thread passing alternately over and under each warp. Balanced, stable, and the basis of poplin, chambray and calico. Creases readily and has no natural stretch.

Twill

The weft passes over two or more warp threads in a staggered progression, producing a diagonal line on the face. Twill drapes better than plain weave, hides soil and creasing, and is more abrasion-resistant. Chinos, workwear and most trousers are twill.

Denim

A twill with a dyed warp and an undyed weft, which is why jeans are blue on the face and pale inside, and why they fade at wear points as the indigo abrades away. Weight is quoted in ounces per square yard rather than GSM. Raw denim is unwashed; most retail denim has been washed to soften and stabilise it.

Canvas (duck)

A heavy plain weave with thick yarns. Stiff, extremely durable and structural. Used for workwear, outerwear and bags. It softens substantially with wear but never drapes. Hard on needles and machines, so it changes how a garment is sewn.

Poplin

A fine plain weave with a slight crosswise rib from a heavier weft. Crisp, smooth and lightweight, the standard for formal shirting. Presses to a sharp finish and creases visibly.

Chambray

A plain weave with a coloured warp and white weft, giving a denim-like appearance at a much lighter weight. Softer and far more breathable than denim. Frequently mistaken for lightweight denim; the difference is the weave, not the colour.

Satin weave

A weave, not a fibre, in which warp threads float over several wefts to produce a smooth lustrous face. Satin can be silk, polyester or anything else. The long floats give the shine and also snag easily. Calling something satin says nothing about what it is made of.

Ripstop

A light woven with a reinforcing grid of thicker yarns at regular intervals, so that a tear stops at the next grid line rather than running. Usually nylon or polyester. Standard for technical shells and packable outerwear, and visually recognisable by its faint squares.

Corduroy

A woven with raised parallel cords formed by cut extra weft floats. Warm, textured and durable, described by wale count: the number of cords per inch. Low wale is chunky, high wale is fine. The nap runs in one direction, so all pattern pieces must be cut the same way up.

Gingham

A plain weave with dyed yarns arranged in an even check, identical on both faces. A pattern created in the weaving rather than printed on afterwards, which is why it never wears off.

Speciality and decorative fabrics

Velvet

A woven with a short dense cut pile, traditionally silk and now usually polyester or a viscose blend. Rich in appearance and directional: the nap changes colour with viewing angle, so cutting direction is critical. Crushes permanently under pressure and cannot be pressed conventionally.

Tweed

A rough woollen woven, typically twill, made from dyed yarns that produce a flecked, multi-tonal surface. Warm, hard-wearing and heavy. Harris Tweed is a protected designation covering cloth handwoven in the Outer Hebrides.

Chiffon

A very light, sheer plain weave with a slightly rough handle from tightly twisted yarns. Drapes fluidly, frays badly and is difficult to cut and sew accurately. Silk or polyester.

Organza

Sheer and crisp rather than fluid, holding its shape well enough to create volume. Used structurally in eveningwear and for interlinings. Creases sharply and shows needle marks permanently.

Georgette

Similar to chiffon but with a slightly heavier, grainier and more opaque surface. Drapes well and is more forgiving to work with than chiffon.

Jacquard

Not a single fabric but a method: patterns woven or knitted into the cloth by controlling individual yarns rather than printing on top. The pattern is structural, so it cannot fade or peel. Slower and more expensive to produce, and it requires minimum quantities at the mill.

Best fabrics for streetwear and clothing brands

The fabrics above cover the textile landscape. In practice, a streetwear or casualwear brand chooses from a much narrower group, and the choices are fairly settled.

Heavyweight t-shirts. Combed ring-spun cotton jersey, typically in the 180 to 240 GSM range. Above that, single jersey starts to feel boardy rather than substantial. Interlock is the upgrade when a smoother, more structured tee is wanted.

Hoodies and sweatshirts. Brushed-back fleece for warmth and the classic heavyweight handle, or French terry for a lighter, cleaner piece that suits year-round wear and shows print more crisply. The choice between them changes the garment more than the GSM does.

Joggers and sweatpants. French terry or fleece matched to the top if a set is intended. Rib at cuff and waistband is what stops them dropping.

Tracksuits. A matched pair in the same cloth from the same dye lot. Ordering top and bottom separately, or at different times, is the most common cause of a set where the two halves do not quite match.

Activewear. Polyester or nylon with elastane for recovery, often in a knit that wicks. This is also the only group where sublimation printing is properly available, since it needs polyester.

Outerwear. Nylon or polyester ripstop for shells, canvas or twill for structured jackets, with the lining and wadding chosen separately.

What a factory notices that a fabric list does not

Several things about fabric only become obvious once cloth is being cut, and they are rarely mentioned in reference articles.

Rib does the work at cuffs. A cuff is not decorative. Its job is to stretch over a hand and pull back, and that recovery comes from the rib construction plus a small elastane content. A cuff knitted in plain jersey will stretch out within a fortnight and never return.

Fleece and French terry are the same fabric until one is brushed. That single mechanical step changes warmth, softness, pilling behaviour and how sharply a print sits on the surface. If a sample feels wrong, the brushing is often the variable, not the weight.

Stretch changes how decoration is applied. A print or embroidery placed on a stretch fabric has to tolerate the fabric moving underneath it. Embroidery needs a stabiliser and pull compensation or the design distorts; screen prints need an ink formulated to flex. The same artwork on a woven needs neither.

Surface texture decides print quality. A smooth interlock holds fine detail that disappears on a brushed fleece, where the raised nap breaks up the ink. Where a design has thin lines or small type, the fabric should be chosen before the artwork is finalised.

Shrinkage happens after cutting unless it happens before. Cotton knits shrink. If the cloth is not pre-shrunk or compacted before the pattern is cut, the finished garment measurements move on first wash. This is one of the most common causes of a bulk run not matching an approved sample.

Nap and weave direction constrain the marker. Corduroy, velvet and any brushed or directional cloth must have every panel cut the same way up. That reduces how tightly pieces can be nested, which increases fabric consumption for the same garment.

Choosing fabric for a clothing brand?

Reading about fabric and choosing it for a real production run are different problems. The second one involves what a mill actually has available, what it costs at your quantity, how it behaves under your decoration, and whether it will still measure correctly after washing.

NO FUGAZI is a cut-and-sew manufacturer. We develop and sample garments with brands, and choosing the cloth is part of that: we will suggest what suits the garment you have described, make a sample in it, and tell you when a fabric you have asked for is the wrong tool for the job. Runs start at 50 pieces per style and you do not need a tech pack to begin.

Our streetwear fabric guide covers the weights and constructions we run in more depth, and the guide to minimum order quantity explains how a 50-piece run splits across a size curve.

Questions

What is the difference between a fibre and a fabric?

A fibre is the raw material the cloth is made from, such as cotton, polyester or wool. A fabric is what that fibre becomes once it is knitted or woven, such as jersey, fleece or twill. A full description needs both: 100% cotton jersey means cotton fibre in a jersey knit. Cotton alone does not tell you how the cloth will behave.

What is the difference between knitted and woven fabric?

Knitted fabric is made from one yarn looped through itself, so it stretches naturally and is used for t-shirts, hoodies and joggers. Woven fabric is made from two sets of yarns crossing at right angles, has almost no give without elastane, and is used for shirts, trousers and structured jackets. They need different patterns and different sewing machines.

Does a higher GSM mean better quality?

No. GSM is grams per square metre, a measure of weight rather than quality. A heavier fabric made from coarse yarn will feel worse and pill sooner than a lighter one made from combed ring-spun cotton. GSM is one specification alongside fibre, yarn and construction, and it is the least informative of the four on its own.

Is bamboo fabric natural?

Usually not in any meaningful sense. Almost all bamboo fabric is bamboo viscose: bamboo pulp chemically dissolved and extruded as a regenerated fibre. It behaves like viscose and should be assessed as viscose. Mechanically processed bamboo linen exists but is rare and feels quite different.

What is the difference between French terry and fleece?

They start as the same knit. French terry has unbrushed loops on the reverse; fleece is French terry whose loops have been mechanically brushed open into a soft nap. Brushing makes fleece warmer and softer but also more prone to pilling, and its raised surface holds fine print detail less crisply than terry.

Which fabrics can be sublimation printed?

Only polyester and polyester-rich fabrics, and only in white or pale colours. Sublimation works by turning dye into a gas that bonds inside polyester fibres, and cotton has nothing for it to bond to. On a poly-cotton blend the colour holds roughly in proportion to the polyester content, which is why blends give a faded look.