How much do you really know about the fabrics you wear every day? Most of us know that our wardrobes contain a mix of different materials, but many don’t know where they come from or how they’re produced. A good understanding of fabrics and fibres can help us make informed, responsible choices, so here we take you through some of the most worn fabrics you’ll find in your wardrobe, grouped into key categories.

Natural

Natural fabrics come from plants or animals. As long as they’re not mixed with synthetic fibres they will biodegrade in a matter of months (or at most a few years) at end of life.

Cotton

Cotton is the most widely produced natural fibre on the planet. The fluffy fibre comes from the cotton plant and grows in a ‘boll’ which springs open and can be harvested both by hand and machine. There are different varieties of cotton grown around the world and the longer the fibre, the softer the fabric it produces. Cotton’s impact depends largely on where and how it’s grown. If it’s grown using lots of water, chemicals, and pesticides, it can be harmful to people and the environment, whereas if it’s grown organically or regeneratively—using fewer or no chemicals and according to ecological farming practices—it can be a positive force for communities and the planet. At Untouched World, we only use Organic or Good Earth Cotton, both chosen for their lower impact and fair growing practices.

Silk

Cultivated and worn for thousands of years, silk is a protein fibre which, most often, comes from mulberry silkworms. Silkworm eggs are nurtured until they hatch, and the larvae are then fed on mulberry leaves until they begin to weave their cocoon, which is the basis of silk fibre. The cocoons are boiled—along with the silkworm inside meaning the fibre isn’t vegan—and the strands are gently unwound and extracted. Multiple strands are twisted together to form a silk thread which is then woven into soft, lustrous fabric.

Wool

Wool is created using the fleece or hair of an array of animals including sheep, goats, alpaca, and rabbits. The animals are sheared to collect the fibre and it is then washed and ‘carded’; a process which untangles and separates the fibres to create a thin, soft sheet. The sheet is split into narrow strips and these strips are then spun to create yarn. Depending on the desired finish, wool can be knitted, woven, or felted. Like all animal products, wool comes with certain welfare risks therefore standards and certifications such as ZQ, ZQRX and the Responsible Mohair Standard are important to ensure high levels of animal welfare.

Linen

Linen is made from the stem of the flax plant. Flax is the oldest known fibre to have been used by humans, dating back to at least 8,000 BCE, and while certain processes have been industrialised and made more efficient, the fundamentals remain the same: the flax is harvested, bundled up and combed to remove the seeds. It’s then ‘retted’, whereby it’s allowed to decompose so the fibres are released from the stem, the stems are removed, then it’s combed again before being spun into yarn and woven into fabric. It’s cooling, long lasting, and requires very little water to grow; testament to why it’s endured throughout history.

Synthetic

Synthetic fabrics are derived from fossil fuels such as crude oil. They take many hundreds of years to break down at end of life, leaving behind microplastics. Synthetic fabrics are also known as plastic fabrics and when worn and washed they shed microplastics.

Polyester

Polyester is the most widely used fibre in the world. It represented 54% of global fibre production in 2022. To make polyester, crude oil is extracted and then refined to produce the key chemical compounds (‘monomers’) needed to make the material. These compounds undergo a chemical reaction called polymerisation which forms a ‘polymer’ called PET. In a molten state, the polymer is extruded through tiny holes to create filaments (very thin plastic threads). These filaments are then spun to create yarn and the yarn is woven or knitted to create fabric. Manufacturing polyester is known for its environmental impact, from reliance on non-renewable resources to high chemical inputs, and intensive heat and water use.

Nylon, Acrylic, Elastane

Nylon, Acrylic and Elastane (can also be known by the branded trademarked names such as Lycra) are made in much the same way as polyester but the polymers they are created from are different, meaning they can have different characteristics. Acrylic, for instance, is often used for synthetic knitwear as it’s easy to care for and cheap to produce, while Nylon is often used for swimwear because it has low water absorption. While they do have some useful characteristics, these materials still have the same high impacts as polyester and other fellow synthetics.

Recycled synthetics

Recycled synthetics such as recycled polyester and recycled nylon are growing in popularity, but they still represent a very small percentage of the global fibre market. They are created by melting down existing plastics and re-spinning them into new fibre, a process that is very energy and chemical intensive.. Recycled synthetic fabrics mostly consist of recycled plastic bottles, but other plastics such as discarded textiles and fishing nets are also used to a lesser extent. Like all synthetics, recycled plastic materials still release microplastics when they are worn and washed.

Biosynthetics

There is a new category of materials emerging called ‘biosynthetics’. These are synthetic materials which are derived partly or wholly from a natural, biological source, such as corn, sugar beet, or wheat instead of fossil fuels. The manufacturing process is the same as it is for fossil-fuel derived synthetics and the resulting fabrics are still plastic/synthetic, they still shed microplastics during the wash, and they still do not biodegrade naturally at end of life. There are still discussions about how the impact of these fabrics stands up to natural fabrics and fossil-fuel based synthetics, so it’s difficult to classify them as being ‘better’ or ‘worse’.

Plant-based, semi synthetic

This is a category that sits somewhere between natural and synthetic. The fibres come from natural sources, but they undergo chemical processes to turn them into fabric, some of which are more impactful than others. As they are natural, they will biodegrade at the end of life if not mixed with synthetics.

Viscose

Viscose, also called Rayon, is made from wood pulp from trees. The pulp is dissolved in a chemical process to create a thick, liquid type substance which is then extruded to create filaments. The filaments are stretched, washed, cut, and dried before being woven or knitted into a soft, smooth fabric. It’s a popular substitute for both silk and cotton, but the manufacturing of viscose has been linked to deforestation and chemical pollution, therefore the use of certified wood sources and responsible versions of the fabric like EcoVero Viscose is important. You may also see that some viscose fabrics are now made from other source materials like recycled cotton.

Lyocell

Lycocell is similar to viscose in that it’s made from wood pulp, however the manufacturing process is much more ecologically sound. It uses less energy, the chemicals used are of a lower toxicity, and they’re recycled over and over in a closed loop process. At Untouched World we use TENCEL™ Lyocell. It’s made by Lenzing which recycles 99% of the process water and chemicals used during manufacturing.

There are many other fabrics, blends, and specially treated technical fabrics out there to discover but knowing the core basics goes a long way in making more informed choices. We’re always transparent about all the fabrics we use throughout our collection, from the basics to the specialist. You can read more about our:

• Merino
• Possum Blends
• Organic Cotton
• Plant-based Fibres