Something that many men don’t know about – or don’t give much thought to – is the type of fabric used in clothing.
While many are satisfied with a comfortable pair of jeans and a t-shirt, the range of fabrics available in men’s clothing is as broad and varied as the colors and patterns in which they can be found. In this post, we will take a look at some of the fabrics used in clothing.
Fabrics can be broken down into two main categories: Natural and Synthetic. As the names imply, the raw material used is either grown and harvested (natural) or created (synthetic).
Natural fabrics include:
- Cotton: A vegetable based natural fiber, that grows in the seed pod, or boll of the cotton plant. The fiber is most commonly used for manufacturing different types of men’s wear. It is quite comfortable and breathable fabrics. It is often blended with synthetic fibers like polyester for making the fabric more durable and long lasting etc.
- Silk: An animal based natural fiber derived from silk worms. The fabric is quite glossy and has natural sheen. Different types of silk are used for manufacturing various men’s wear garments and fashion accessories like tie. China, India, Italy, Spain are some of the significant producers of high quality silk.
- Linen: A vegetable based natural fiber, obtained from the stalk of flax plant. It is an expensive fiber and grown in various parts of the world. This natural fiber is used for manufacturing formal shirts, trousers for men. China is one of the largest manufacturers of linen followed by Ireland, Italy and Belgium.
- Wool: An animal based natural fiber, obtained from sheep. The fiber is known for its natural warmth and is extensively used for manufacturing different garments worn by men during winters. The fiber is often blended with other synthetic fibers for making the finished product more durable and long lasting.
- Camel Hair: Undercoat hair from the Bactrian (two-hump) camel. It is not clipped or shaved, but gathered from the ground as the camel’s skin expands seasonally and hair loosens. Usually used in its natural color.
- Mohair usually refers to a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. It is one of the oldest textile fibers in use. It is both durable and resilient. It is notable for its high luster and sheen, which has helped give it the nickname the “Diamond Fiber,” and is often used in fiber blends to add these qualities to a textile.
Synthetic fabrics include:
- Polyester: One of the most popular man made or synthetics fibers used for manufacturing a wide variety of men’s clothing and fashion accessories. The fiber can be easily blended with cotton, linen, wool, and silk to provide specific characteristics to the finished product.
- Nylon: Another synthetic fiber used in making various types of men’s clothing. This non cellulosic polymer fiber has a protein like composition and is quite similar to silk and wool in terms of certain properties. These are different forms of nylon available in the market depending on the chemical synthesis.
- Spandex: A durable, highly elastic and lightweight man-made fabric used for manufacturing a variety of men’s clothing. The fiber is made from a polymer containing polyurethane, and is widely used for manufacturing elastic clothing.
- Rayon: A popularly produced and versatile fiber, which is simulated to resemble other natural fibers. The fiber is soft, strong, durable, cool and comfortable and can be easily dyed.
- Microfiber: A special kind of fiber having strands less than one denier1. The fiber is quite soft and is used for manufacturing garments that hold their shape well. The fiber has become a successful alternative to cotton for making sports wear as it removes moisture from the body.
- Acetate: A fiber that consists of a cellulose compound called the acetylated cellulose. Different varieties of acetate are manufactured for making various sports wear. The thermoplastic property of the fiber makes it useful for transforming into desired shapes.
- Acrylic: A man-made fiber made from a polymer. Varieties of acrylic can be made by using different combinations of materials and molecular structures. It is soft, warm and resembles wool. The fiber can be easily dyed and is chemical and oil resistant.
Some readers may have noted that leather was not included in the “Natural Fibers” section. This is because leather is technically not a fabric, but a treated skin.
1 – denier: a unit of linear mass density of fibers
References:
- http://www.men-clothing.net
- http://www.the-sewing partner.com
- http://www.answers.com
- http://suityourself.com
