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 very fine, fluffy animal-hair fibre from Angora rabbits, prized for softness and warmth but weak alone, usually blended with wool or nylon.

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.

A natural cellulose fibre harvested from the cotton plant's seed pods, valued for softness, breathability and absorbency; used in wovens and knits from quilting cotton to denim.

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 strong, absorbent bast fibre spun from the stems of the flax plant, known for crisp hand, natural lustre and a tendency to wrinkle; sews well but frays readily.

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

A stiff, lustrous bast fibre from the ramie plant, resistant to bacteria and shrinkage but low in elasticity, often blended with cotton or linen.

A fine, lustrous protein filament produced by silkworms, prized for drape, sheen and strength-to-weight ratio; woven into fabrics from chiffon to dupioni.

An animal protein fibre from sheep's fleece with natural crimp and elasticity, providing warmth and moisture-wicking; ranges from fine merino to coarse tweed wool.