Ok everyone, sit down for some textile fabric 101; the difference between weaves and fibres and fabrics. As a seamstress, I understand that for many people, they won’t be aware of this difference, and most of us only think about the type of fabric a garment is made from when we go to purchase new clothes.
But this is important, as clothing companies love to gloss over this difference and use specific words and phrases to make things sound like a nice fabric, when it isn’t truly what people think it is.
So, let’s break down the difference and get into why this matters, with some examples of this sprinkled in for good measure.
What is the difference between ‘fabric’, ‘weave’, and ‘fibres’?
The word ‘fibre’ refers to the material used to make the sheet of cloth that clothes are then made from, while ‘fabric’ refers to the finished cloth product itself. Fibres specifically refer to the thread itself and what it is made from, such as cotton or silk coming from cotton plants and silkworms.
These fibres are then turned into fabrics using a specific ‘weave’, which refers to how the fibres are woven together into cloth. Essentially, a fibre and a weave make a fabric.
There are two main categories for weaves; wovens and knits, and each of these has various subcategories and different types based on how the threads of the fibre are put together.
Examples of a woven weave include ‘twill’, ‘satin’, and ‘plain’ weave, with the differences between them coming from the way the fabric is woven together, and how many fibers are woven over each other. A plain weave produces a simple flat surface, while a twill creates diagonal lines in the fabric. A satin weave creates more drape and fluidity in a cloth.
Examples of knits include ‘jersey’, ‘fleece’, ‘ribbing’, and ‘terry’, each with their own unique characteristics and properties.
Woven and knit fabrics can be made from a range of fibres, including natural and synthetic materials.
Photo by Samiul Alam on Unsplash
Why knowing the difference between fabrics and weaves matters
The words clothing companies use to describe their materials matter, and if people don’t know what these words mean, they can be misled into thinking one fabric is different to how it really is.
Satin is a big one! Satin has been synonymous with silk, a gorgeous natural fibre, to the point where people can assume they are interchangeable and mean the same thing, but they’re not. Satin is a weave, not a fabric! This means that people might buy a garment that is described as satin and think they are getting a garment made from silk, but it actually uses synthetic fibres like nylon and polyester. It emulates natural silk, but uses harmful chemical processes and creates a material that is not biodegradable like natural silk is (which in turn adds to the massive problem of synthetic fibers polluting the planet). Synthetic satin weave fibers also do not have any of the same beneficial properties as natural silk.
A different example can include cotton garments and the word denim. Technically, cotton is a fibre, but there are several different types of fabrics that use cotton fibres. There can be woven cotton fabrics like denim and gauze, but also knits like cotton jersey. As denim refers to the weave (specifically a type of twill weave), not the material, it’s possible to have denim made from a whole range of fibres, including natural fibres and synthetics like elastane, Lycra or polyester.
It’s really important people are informed on what they’re buying. As the world becomes more aware of the ecological damage fast fashion is causing, more people are choosing not only to recycle, repair and re-wear, but to avoid purchasing new garments that are made from synthetic fibres altogether.
Always check the label when shopping. Plenty will use the name of the fabric and weave interchangeably with the fibre, but the good ones will specify the fibre and the weave together.
Don’t let companies pull the wool over your eyes by being carefully selective with the words they choose. They know people want natural fibers, and they’re going to do everything they can to try and emulate it, and that includes using a weave to make people think it is a fabric.
