Fiber types

Recognize common apparel fibers and follow each material from its plant, animal, or polymer origin to where it is worn now.

Fiber choice sets how a garment breathes, drapes, stretches, and ages in the wardrobe. Each Style Library fiber entry is a sourced article: how to recognize the material on labels and in hand, where the fiber comes from historically, where it has been worn, what is still in use, and the references behind those claims.

How to choose

Start with whether the fiber is plant, animal, regenerated cellulose, or synthetic polymer. Then check staple vs filament, fineness, and blend percentages on the care label. Compare cotton, wool, and polyester when shops use generic “natural vs synthetic” language, and compare rayon, viscose, and lyocell when a blouse is sold as “soft sustainable” without naming the process.