Ever picked up two t-shirts that looked identical on the hanger, only to have one fall apart after three washes while the other lasted years? Chances are, fabric was the reason, not the cut, not the brand, just what the thing was actually made of.
Most of us buy clothes based on how they look and feel in the store, then find out the hard way whether the fabric was actually any good. That’s the gap this page is meant to close.
Fabric Wikipedia is our ongoing project to break down every major fabric type in plain language, what it is, how it’s made, what it costs, and how to spot the real thing versus a marketing claim. No jargon you need a textile degree to follow, just straight answers.
Below, fabrics are grouped by where they actually come from: plants, animals, lab-processed cellulose, full synthetics, plus separate sections for weave styles, leather, and technical performance fabrics. Click into any guide that’s live for the full breakdown. The rest are on the way, and we’re adding new ones regularly.
Natural Plant Fibers
These come straight from plants, cellulose-based, biodegradable, and generally the most breathable fabrics you can wear. If you’ve ever wondered why a cotton tee feels cooler than a polyester one on a hot day, this is why.
- What Is Cotton Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Pima Cotton Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Supima Cotton? The Ultimate Guide to a Luxury Fabric
- What Is Linen Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Hemp Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Jute Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Soy Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Banana Fabric? A Complete Guide
Natural Animal Fibers
Wool, hair, and silk cocoons fall here. These fabrics tend to run warmer or more luxurious than plant fibers, and a lot of them come with welfare certifications worth knowing about before you buy.
- What Is Silk Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Wool Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Merino Wool Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Cashmere Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Virgin Wool Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Camel Wool Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Mohair Wool Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Alpaca Wool Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Angora Wool Fabric? A Complete Guide
Regenerated and Semi-Synthetic Fibers
This group starts as natural cellulose, usually wood pulp or bamboo, but goes through heavy chemical processing before it becomes fiber. It’s a mixed bag environmentally: some of these are genuinely eco-friendly, others aren’t, and knowing which is which actually matters if sustainability factors into how you shop.
- What Is Viscose Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Lyocell Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Modal Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Micromodal Fabric? A Complete Guide , a finer, more refined version of Modal
- What Is Cupro Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Econyl Fabric? A Complete Guide , made from recycled nylon
- What Is Bamboo Fabric? A Complete Guide , most bamboo fabric on the market is actually processed the same way as viscose, which is why it lives in this category instead of with the plant fibers above
Synthetic Fibers
Petroleum-based, built for durability and low cost rather than breathability. If it’s in your activewear or your rain jacket, it’s probably one of these.
- What Is Polyester Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Nylon Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon), also known as polyamide
- What Is Elastane (Spandex) Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Lycra Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon), the trademarked, branded version of elastane
- What Is Polypropylene Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Acrylic Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon), also the raw material behind several performance fabrics further down this page
Woven, Knitted, and Finish Types
These aren’t raw fibers at all, they’re construction and finishing techniques that can be built from silk, cotton, or polyester depending on the product. Chiffon, for example, can be made from more than one base fiber, which is exactly why each guide in this section calls out what it’s typically woven from.
- What Is Denim Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Chambray Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Chiffon Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Organza Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Organdy Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Jacquard Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Lamé Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Velvet Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Velour Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Baize Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Batiste Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Brocade Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Canvas Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Charmeuse Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Felt Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Corduroy Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Jersey Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Lace Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Lawn Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Shantung Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Tweed Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Ikat Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Flannel Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Damask Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Crepe Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Mesh Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Taffeta Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Twill Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Scuba Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
Leather and Hide-Based Materials
Leather isn’t spun or woven at all, it’s tanned, which makes it a completely different process from everything else on this page. It gets its own dedicated breakdown for exactly that reason.
- What Is Leather Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Faux Leather Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Suede Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Microfibre Fabric? A Complete Guide
Technical and Performance Fabrics
Engineered specifically for a job: keeping water out, letting sweat escape, or trapping heat in. A few of these actually share the same core membrane material, which we’ll point out directly once each guide is live.
- What Is Neoprene Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Coolmax Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is Gore-Tex Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is eVent Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is NeoShell Fabric? A Complete Guide
- What Is OutDry Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Polartec Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
- What Is Sympatex Fabric? A Complete Guide (coming soon)
Why This Page Exists
There’s no shortage of fabric information online, but most of it is either too technical to actually use while shopping, or too vague to be useful at all. This page is meant to sit in between: real detail, explained the way you’d want a knowledgeable friend to explain it, without needing a textile science background to follow along.
New guides get added to this page as they go live, so it’s worth bookmarking if you want to come back and check what’s new. If there’s a fabric you’re curious about that isn’t listed yet, drop it in the comments, we’re always adding to the list.
