Guide materials

Fiber made from cotton waste or wood cellulose. It is produced dry using acetone as a solvent. It was first developed in the 1920s in the form of silk diacetate by the British company Celanese. Later, it began to be produced on a large scale in the United States, which thus became its largest producer. Acetate fabric is often used in wedding dresses and other bridal wear. Due to its softness, it is a good synthetic alternative to silk. It is also used for the production of nightwear.

Cupro is a cellulose fiber made from small pieces of cotton waste. It is produced by a chemical process that combines copper and ammonium. It is similar to silk but has breathable properties similar to cotton. You can find Cupro in knitwear, underwear, dresses or blouses. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was produced in Germany, but nowadays it is mainly produced in Japan.

Lyocell is a material produced from cellulose-based wood pulp (often from eucalyptus, oak or birch) using a solvent and amine oxide. It was first produced in the United States, where it is also known as Tencel. Currently, the main producer of lyocell is located in Austria (Lenzing AG). Lyocell is used for the production of blouses, denim products, underwear, sportswear and children's clothing.

Modal is a type of rayon. It is obtained through the chemical processing of cellulose, which comes from soft wood species. Modal was first developed in Japan in the 1950s. Currently, its largest producer is China. Other countries producing modal include, for example, India, the Philippines or Austria. Modal is used in the production of underwear, sportswear, T-shirts, nightwear, bathrobes and bed sheets.

This innovative natural fabric is made from pineapple leaf fibers. The leaves are waste from pineapples harvested at a farm in the Philippines and are converted into fabric through a process called decortication. You can find Piñatex in clothes, bags, shoes and even furniture.

Viscose is a fiber made on the basis of cellulose from various trees (e.g. eucalyptus, beech, pine) or other plants (bamboo, soy, sugar cane). It is chemically processed into a viscous substance that turns into a solid fiber. Viscose is used to make blouses, shirts, dresses, suits, lightweight knitwear, trousers, etc. The production of viscose was patented in Great Britain in the 19th century. Currently, the largest producing country is China.

Acrylic is a synthetic fiber derived from petroleum. It is mainly used for the production of knitted clothing, artificial fur, underwear and outdoor clothing. It is much cheaper to produce than wool, so it is used as an alternative or combined with wool and other materials such as cotton and mohair. The production of acrylic fibers takes place in Turkey, India, Mexico and South America.

Elastane is an oil-based fiber made from polyurethane. It is also known as Spandex (anagram for "expands") or Lycra®. The production of elastane takes place mainly in China, the United States, India, Pakistan and Brazil. Elastane is always used in combination with other fibers to increase their elasticity. In combination with cotton, for example, jeans and sportswear are produced. It is also used mainly for the production of underwear, socks, stockings and swimwear.

Polyamides are a group of synthetic fibers that are byproducts of petroleum. The best-known polyamide fiber is nylon, which is used in the production of hosiery. It is also used as a cheap substitute for silk. Production takes place mainly in Germany, the United States and China.

Polyester is the most produced textile fiber in the world. It is made from petroleum. The most common variant is the one made of polyethylene terephthalate or PET (material for the production of plastic bottles). Production takes place mostly in China, India and Southeast Asia.

Polypropylene is a thermoplastic made from petroleum waste. Most of the production takes place in China and other Asian countries. The fiber is quick and cheap to make, so polypropylene is cheap. It is most often used as a complementary fiber to other materials. In particular, you can find it in swimwear, socks, underwear or sports textiles. It is most often mixed with cotton or wool.

Polyurethane fibers are made from petroleum. Most production takes place in Germany, the United States and China. They are often used in the production of waterproof products such as raincoats and jackets. Polyurethane can also be used as a leather-like coating. Many artificial leather products are made from polyurethane because it is cheaper than genuine leather.

Brocade is a fabric with a strong weave and a unique design. Although it might appear that the pattern is embroidered, it is created by a weft stitch on a loom. The name comes from the Italian word "broccare" which means "to embroider". It is made from natural materials such as silk, cotton, linen, but also synthetic materials such as polyester. Brocade usually features floral designs or other intricate details. Nowadays, brocade is used to make wedding and evening dresses, skirts, costumes, but also elegant home accessories.

Denim is usually made from cotton, but it can also be combined with synthetic materials such as polyester or elastane. It is produced by a special twill weaving process that gives the denim a typical diagonal pattern. The fabric was first produced in Nîmes, France and was called "serge de Nîmes" (Nimes fabric), giving rise to the current name "denim". It gained popularity in the mid-19th century in the USA, when Levi Strauss began producing jeans for workers.

Flannel is a woven fabric produced in twill or plain weave. Originally, flannel was made from wool, but now you can also find it from cotton or synthetics. It is most often used to make tartan clothing, blankets, sheets and bed linen.

Fleece is a synthetic insulating fabric made from polyester or other synthetic fibers. The popularity of this material increased when a company called Malden Mills based in Massachusetts and Patagonia invented "Polar Fleece". It is breathable and dries quickly, making it ideal for sports and winter wear.

GOTE-TEX is a textile material with a special two-component membrane produced by the company of the same name. It has gained popularity due to its waterproofness, impermeability and at the same time high breathability. Part of the membrane contains more than 1.4 billion microscopic pores per square centimeter, making it impermeable to water but permeable to steam. It is mainly used in outdoor and sports clothing. GORE-TEX can be used on any type of clothing - jackets, shoes or backpacks.

This is a type of single face knit also known as jersey. It features a single stitch on the front and a double stitch on the back.

The name of this fabric comes from the island of Jersey, where fishermen used it for their clothing. It is commonly made from cotton, but can also be mixed with some synthetic fibers. Other natural fibers with which it can be combined are wool or linen.

The fabric can be less or more elastic and is most often used for the production of underwear and bedding, or t-shirts.

Lace is a flat textile of various shapes and ornaments produced by hand or by machine. Its basic element is a loop stitch. It is made from different types of threads - you can find silk, cotton, linen or synthetic lace.

Corduroy is mainly a cotton fabric with longitudinal hair ribs of different textures and widths. There are also cotton/polyester corduroy fabrics that reduce wrinkling. In fashion, corduroy is mainly used for trousers, shirts, skirts, suits, hats, dresses and jackets. Although it originated much earlier, corduroy became popular in the 18th century in the British city of Manchester, where it was used as a strong practical fabric for work clothes. It became popular again in the 1960s and 1970s with college students. It is also known as the "poor man's velvet".

Canvas is a woven fabric usually made of cotton or, less often, of linen and hemp. Historically, linen fabric was mainly made from hemp. Even the word "canvas" is derived from the Greek and Latin words for hemp. This fabric is known for its strength and durability. By mixing with synthetic materials, canvas becomes more water resistant, making it great for making outdoor clothing. It has a wide range of uses, but is primarily used for shoes (especially sneakers), bags, backpacks, but also sails or tents.

Knitted fabric is a fabric formed by threading stitches arranged in columns and rows. The basic types of knitwear are tension and warp, which can be further divided according to the type of weave. Weft knits are more common but can be damaged more easily, while warp knits are more durable. Cotton, wool, linen, silk and synthetic yarns can be knitted.

Velvet is a type of woven fabric, typical for its fine texture. The velvet must be brushed, trimmed and further adjusted on the surface to obtain the desired shine and pleasant texture. Real velvet is made from silk, but it can also be made from synthetic or natural yarns. Most "silk velvet" products are actually a combination of rayon and velvet.

Satin is a satin-weave fabric characterized by a smooth and very shiny exterior. It is made from a whole range of fibers, which most often include silk, viscose, nylon, polyester, polyamide, or cotton. The highest quality and most luxurious satin is made from silk and is used for evening and wedding dresses, blouses, or underwear. A cheaper version is satin polyester.

Chiffon is a soft transparent and flowing fabric made of silk, cotton or synthetic crepe fibers. It is most often used for evening or wedding dresses, but blouses, shirts, scarves or underwear are also made from it.

Tweed is a medium coarse woven fabric with a woolen surface. Currently, we find tweed made in combination with different materials such as silk, cashmere, alpaca, mohair, viscose, but also with synthetic materials such as polyester or acrylic. Tweed fabric was used as early as the 18th century in Scotland, where it served as protection against cold winters. The fabric was thick and without the interesting patterns that we find on tweed today. However, it gained great popularity thanks to the iconic tweed blazers of the French designer Coco Chanel.

Tulle is a fine machine-made mesh fabric. It is most often used to make wedding veils and dresses. Tulle can be made from a variety of natural and synthetic fibers, including linen, nylon, silk, or cotton. The name comes from Tulle, a town in the south central region of France. In the 18th century, Tulle was known as a center for lace and silk production.