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Types of Fabrics, Their Uses, and How to Distinguish Them

Created on 08.24

Types of Fabrics, Their Uses, and How to Distinguish Them

1. Main Types of Fabrics and Their Uses

(1) Natural Fiber Fabrics
Cotton
  • Properties
  • Common Varieties
  • Uses
    • Clothing
    • Home Textiles
    • Industry
Linen/Ramie
  • Properties
  • Common Varieties
  • Uses
    • Clothing
    • Home Textiles
    • Industry
Silk
  • Properties
  • Common Varieties
  • Uses
    • High-end Clothing
    • Home Textiles
Wool
  • Properties
  • Common Varieties
  • Uses
    • Clothing
    • Home Textiles
(2) Chemical Fiber Fabrics
Regenerated Fibers (Extracted from Natural Materials)
  • Viscose/Rayon
    • Properties
    • Uses
  • Modal
    • Properties
    • Uses
  • Bamboo Fiber
    • Properties
    • Uses
Synthetic Fibers (Chemically Synthesized)
  • Polyester (Commonly Known as "Polyester Fiber")
    • Properties
    • Uses
  • Nylon (Commonly Known as "Nylon")
    • Properties
    • Uses
  • Spandex/Lycra
    • Properties
    • Uses
  • Acrylic
    • Properties
    • Uses
(3) Blended Fabrics (Mixture of Two or More Fibers)
  • Properties
  • Common Varieties
    • Cotton-polyester blend: Shirts, casual pants (wrinkle-resistant and easy to maintain).
    • Wool-polyester blend: Suit fabrics (crisp and durable).
    • Silk-cotton blend: Summer dresses (balancing breathability and luster).
  • Uses

2. How to Distinguish Different Fabrics?

(1) Check Labels and Markings
  • Regular clothing or fabrics will indicate the material composition (e.g., "100% Cotton," "Polyester + Spandex"), which is the most direct method.
(2) Handfeel and Appearance Judgment
Fabric Type
Handfeel Characteristics
Appearance Characteristics
Cotton
Soft, slightly wrinkled, with no or weak luster
Natural texture, possible cotton neps (natural imperfections) on the fabric surface
Linen/Ramie
Crisp, slightly rough, with a firm feel
Clear texture, obvious gaps on the fabric surface, matte luster
Silk
Smooth like satin, skin-cooling, with soft luster (real silk has a pearlescent sheen)
Fine surface, minor wrinkles recover easily
Wool/Cashmere
Fluffy, soft, elastic, with a slight astringent feel
Surface with villi, soft luster, unlikely to form permanent creases when pinched
Polyester/Nylon
Smooth or slightly rough, elastic, and slightly stiff
Brighter luster (similar to plastic), not easy to wrinkle
Viscose/Modal
Soft, delicate, with strong drape
Soft luster, similar to cotton but smoother
(3) Burning Method (Suitable for Simple Home Testing; ensure safety)
Fabric Type
Burning Phenomenon
Burning Odor
Ash State
Cotton/Linen
Burns easily with a yellow flame and black smoke, shrinking while burning
Smells like burning paper
Loose ashes, gray powder
Silk/Wool (Protein Fibers)
Burns slowly with a small flame, curling while burning
Strong burnt feather odor (similar to burning hair)
Fragile ashes, crumbles into black powder
Polyester
Quickly melts and shrinks into a hard mass when ignited, with a black flame
Pungent plastic odor
Hard ashes, black spherical, difficult to crush
Nylon
Burns quickly, melts into a transparent hard mass
Slight pungent odor
Brownish ashes, relatively hard
Viscose Fiber
Burns similarly to cotton, with a yellow flame
Burning paper odor
Fine ashes, gray powder
(4) Other Practical Tips
  • Wrinkle Recovery Test
    • Cotton and linen wrinkle easily, and wrinkles do not recover easily; polyester and nylon are wrinkle-resistant, and wrinkles flatten with light kneading; wool and silk wrinkles recover with gentle pressure.
  • Water Absorption Test
    • Natural fibers (cotton, linen, silk, wool) are highly absorbent, and water droplets penetrate quickly; chemical fibers have poor absorbency, and water droplets may form beads.
  • Price Reference
    • Natural fibers like silk, cashmere, and wool are usually more expensive; chemical fibers like polyester and acrylic are low-cost and affordable; blended fabrics fall in between.

3. Fabric Selection and Distinction for Special Scenarios

  • Sportswear
  • Winter Warm Clothing
  • High-end Fabrics (e.g., Silk)
Using the methods above, you can quickly distinguish common fabric types and their characteristics, helping you make more informed choices when purchasing clothing, home textiles, or fabrics. For precise identification, professional fiber composition testing by an accredited laboratory is recommended.
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