Fabric Types

Acetate fabric is the second oldest manufactured fiber in the US after rayon.  It is made with spun filaments of cellulose taken from wood pulp.  Acetate often takes the place of other shiny, soft and luxurious fabrics on furniture, and for drapes, curtains and other home décor, along with being used for clothing, evening attire and clothing and furniture linings.
 
Some of the advantages of acetate is that it drapes well, has multiple sheens and color options, low static, doesn’t pill and is quick drying that resists shrinking.

This natural textile is made from pulp of bamboo grass.  This fabric is becoming more popular because of its unique properties and is more sustainable than other fibers.  This fabric is soft and medium weight for a perfect drape or even fashionable t-shirt.  The bamboo fabric is machine washable on gentle and laid flat to dry.

This is a method of dying fabric creating a pattern by covering up parts of the cloth with a wax or paste.  You can reach a multi colored affect by redying and making new designs.  Batik can be machine washed on cold and tumble dry on low.   Once you have your final product it is great for quilting and home décor accents.
 

Beckery is a beautiful cable knit fabric and perfect for so many decorating ideas and even apparel.  Beckery is a cotton cable knit fabric with 10% mechanical stretch across the grain and a cotton mesh backing.  The fabric is 100% cotton 54 inches wide.

The Bengaline fabric was first produced in Bengal, India where it got its name.  Bengaline is a woven fabric with wide, raised crosswire cords or ribs that create a sturdy texture.  It may be made of natural textiles, such as cotton, wool or silk, or from synthetic fibers, such as rayon or nylons.  Often, it is made of a combination of two different materials and the texture makes the fabric useful in many types of clothing.  It is often found useful for trim on clothing or for making coats, suits and dresses.
 
Many seamstresses find bengaline a good choice for draperies since the texture is often considered luxurious, long lasting and is available in a wide variety of colors. 
 

Blair is an updated take on a classic herringbone weave. With gently contrasting colors and a medium-scale pattern, it's a versatile fabric that's also made in the U.S. and exclusive to Room & Board. A soft blend of cotton and polyester makes Blair a comfortable and livable fabric selection.Weave is the most common type of fabric construction and is the result of intertwining multiple yarns together. One of the most versatile types of fabric construction, woven fabric is available in a wide range of styles. The characteristics and performance of a woven fabric will vary based on the technique and materials used. Patterned fabrics are typically multi-colored and feature a woven design. When choosing a patterned fabric, consider the scale and direction of the print, as well as how the pattern will relate to the overall shape and size of the selected frame.

Most broadcloth today is cotton or a cotton blend and comes in a variety of colors.   It is a very lightweight, smooth, flat looking fabric, with no pattern in the weave of the threads.  It is a popular type of dress shirt fabric and comes in a variety of thread counts, ranging from 50 singles to over 140 doubles.  Broadcloth dress shirts are versatile and will appear very dressy and perfect for formal occasions.  This is a great year round fabric.

Burlap is constructed loosely, with a heavy weight made from plain weave fabric.  To wash this fabric you need to hand wash in cold water and hang to dry.  This fabric is extremely versatile being used for wall coverings or crafts to the garden to protect your plants.  

A popular lightweight, plain weave fabric with a denim look.  The name is derived from Cambrai, France where it was first made.  Chambray is usually plain but may be found in stripes, checks, or other patterns.  This fabric wears well, is easy to sew, launders well but does wrinkle easy. 
 
Lighter weight chambray can have either a dressy or casual appearance.  Some will be woven with a tighter weave and have a nice shine and dress up nicely, while others will have a looser weave that is better suited for a casual look.

Chino cloth is a twill fabric, originally made of 100% cotton and is constructed of diagonal, parallel ribs.  This structure gives chino cloth it’s heavy duty strength while also allowing it to drape well.  Today you can also find it in cotton-synthetic blends and trousers are the most common item made from it. 
 
It was developed in the mid-19^th century for British and French military uniforms and then civilians began wearing it.  The fabric was designed to be simple, hard-wearing and comfortable.  Khaki is the original and most popular color, but chino can be found in many shades.  Chino cloth is a high quality, long lasting fabric.

Cotton is the most common vegetable fibre, making it the third oldest fabric after flax and wool.  The quality can vary depending on its length; a long strand will produce a strong high quality cotton.  The lightness of the material makes it ideal for lite summer time outfits.  Cotton is also good because it is non-irritating for the skin.  The cotton fabric is easily washable and can be ironed at high temperatures.

This fabric is obtained by flax plant used in production of linen products.  Linen is the perfect summer time clothes, because of its lite clothing giving a cool sensation.  This fibre is known for its lustrous and cool features along with being highly absorbent and non-allergenic.  Linen is comfortable on the skin, making drying and ironing quick and simple although the material can crease easily.

Made by remodeling the wood pulp of trees.  A benefit of this fabric is it tends to shrink and fade less than cotton also including being more hygroscopic.  Its main features are the smoothness and softness and resistance to wear and tear.

This fibre is made from synthetic polymers through chemical processing.  This fabric has a poor absorbency power working perfectly for leisure and sport activities.   Nylon is an extremely easy to care for being machine washable and dries quickly with no ironing needed.

This fabric is completely acquired through a chemical process.  A benefit of polyester is its high resistance to wear and tear and its low inflammability.  Polyester is easy to care for with a crease resistance.

As a bride plans her wedding, one of the major details is choosing a dress. Most bridal dresses definitely use satin, a staple in bridal designs.
 

Satin fabrics typically have a glossy surface and a dull back. If a fabric is formed with a satin weave fibers such as silk, nylon, or polyester, the corresponding fabric is termed a satin, although some definitions insist that the fabric be made from silk. If yarns such as cotton are used, the fabric formed is considered sateen.

Many variations can be made of the basic satin weave including a granite weave and a check weave. Satin weaves, twill weaves, and plain weaves are the three basic types of weaving by which the majority of woven products are formed.

This natural fibre is composed from silkworms, and is the softest and finest natural fabric.  This fabric can go from being cool in the hot summer or warm in the cold winter.  Silks main features are offering thermal isolation, has to be carefully washed in the washer and ironed at 130 Celsius.  

Pronounced “tool”, tulle is a popular fabric used in decorating and sewing. A lightweight netting, bountiful tulle bows decorate church pews for weddings and packages for gift giving. Wreaths made of tulle adorn many front doors. Ideal for tutus and hair bows, many young girls become princesses wearing tulle creations. Veils flow with tulle from the well-coiffed heads of brides. Tulle definitely finds its place in a fabric lover’s inventory.

A city in southern France, named Tulle, was known as a center of production in the 18th century. Many people believe tulle netting originated in that French city.

Tulle is one of thousands of fabrics to be found in bulk at Phoenix Of Anderson for clothing manufactures throughout the world.

This fabric is obtained from sheeps fleece. The first gathering of sheep fleece for wool is most prized because the fibres are of high quality and very soft and is called lambswool.  The wool is great for keeping you warm with its thermal protections.   This fabric is also very elastic and absorbent.