Fabrics & materials

A soft, warm animal-hair fibre from alpacas, lighter and often warmer than wool with minimal lanolin, used in coating and knitwear.

A luxury animal-hair fibre combed from the undercoat of cashmere goats, softer and lighter than sheep's wool but less durable, used in fine knitwear.

Crisp, lustrous silk woven from irregular, slubbed yarn, producing a fabric with a slight sheen and characteristic texture, popular for structured garments and eveningwear.

A durable bast fibre from the cannabis sativa plant, similar to linen but stronger and more mildew-resistant, often blended with cotton for garment-weight fabric.

A coarse, inexpensive bast fibre mainly used for burlap, backing and rustic home-decor fabrics rather than garments, with limited drape.

A lustrous, resilient animal-hair fibre from the Angora goat, known for a fuzzy halo and durability, used in sweater knits and specialty wovens.