Textile Properties

World-class fabrics

Cotton

Linen

Silk

Wool

Nylon

Rayon

Polyester

Acrylic

Spandex

The Fabric Awards

Summary Fabrics with good drape hang well, like silk and rayon. Durable fabrics are hard-wearing, like polyester and nylon. Elastic fibres are very stretchy, like spandex. Natural fibres like cotton tend to be more absorbent than synthetics. They take longer to dry but can be more comfortable to wear. Some synthetics, like nylon, create static which makes clothes stick and spark. Wool keeps you warm because it is a good insulator. Acrylic can look like wool but isn’t quite as warm.