If you work in the fashion industry, chances are you work with textiles almost constantly. Whether you’re shopping for, printing on, or working with textiles, they never seem to differ much from any fabric you’ve worked with. Ever wonder why this is? And if they’re truly the same thing, what’s the definition of a textile and how is it different from fabric?
As it turns out, textileshave many uses outside of the fashion world. Aside from the obvious— clothing,bags, home decor, and so on— textiles are an important part of the medicalfield, toy manufacturing, weaponry, agriculture, and other unexpected fields. Ifyou’re wondering what’s the difference between textiles and fabric, the answeris a lot more specific than you’d think.
What is the definition of textile?
To discern the vital differences between textiles and fabric, the term ‘textile’ must be clearly defined. The definition of textile is any material made of interlacing fibers, including carpet and geotextiles. Any woven or knitted fabric is a textile. What every textile has in common is that it’s made from textile fiber.
What is a textilefiber?
Products of textile fiber include yarn, thread, natural silk, rayon, chemical fiber short-hair silk, elastic silk, and metal wire. Textiles are created by processing, weaving or knitting these materials. These can create typically manufactured goods, such as clothing, accessories, gloves, hats, and blankets, or any type of plastic, industrial, natural fur, agricultural or medical fabric. This means that beyond the world of fashion, textiles comprise of any woven or knitted material for any use.
Specialized use of textiles
One example of specialized use of textiles are geotextiles, a permeable fabric that separates, filters, reinforces, protects or drains soil. Geotextiles are commonly used to improve the soil where structures, roads, or pipelines are built. These textiles have various types of material like open-mesh, warp-knitted, and non-woven textiles.
Another example is medical dressings and bandages, which are classified as medical textiles, or healthcare textiles. These textiles are more specifically used in the medical field for first aid, clinical or hygienic purposes and rehabilitation. Medical textiles must have specific qualities to be useful in the field such as biocompatible, good resistance to alkalis, absorption, and repellence, among others.
You can categorize agrotextiles, automotive textiles and other specialized textiles by their industry-specific usage. While they may consist of similar components, their use is vastly different. For this reason, you categorize textiles by industry, not components.
Classifying TextileFibers
Textile fibers can be classified using 3 different methods: by structure, utility, and production of the textiles.
The first classification of textile fibers is according to the structure, the materials, processing technology, texture, appearance and main use of textiles which can be divided further into 14 different categories.
The second classification method is by the use of textiles, divided into clothing textiles, decorative textiles, and industrial textiles.
Lastly, textiles can be classified according to its production, into line, belt, chenille, woven fabric, textile cloth, and more. These various methods help to distinguish the specific fibers needed for a certain product.
If that’s a textile, then what’s the definition of fabric?
A flat-film mass consisting of fine-soft objects connected by intersecting, winding and joining describes the definition of fabric. Sounds pretty much like a textile, right? Surprisingly, fabrics have even broader use than textiles.
Fabrics cover all woven and knitted materials, but they include non-woven materials, too. Fabrics made of yarns connect to each other with an intersecting and winding relationship. Meaning, fabrics with a more unique style of connecting exist outside the definition of a textile.
Common examples of nonwoven fabric include teabag paper, face cloths, synthetic fiber paper and shingling.
How to connect fabric besides weaving and knitting?
Excellent question! When you spread, bond, braid, felt, twist or crochet a material, it’s a fabric, not a textile. Essentially, many twists and braids form a fabric through the amount of material connected.
In further production, fabrics make goods like garments, bed sheets, blankets, carpets, curtains, drapes, and much more. Textiles, on the other hand, often have a use on their own.
Textile vs. Fabric
The question of textile vs fabric has little to do with their definitions and more to do with their production and usage. Textiles stand alone as an unfinished product, or they can combine with other materials to create something different.
Fabric is mainly an “ingredient” mixed with other materials, creating the finished product. If there is no strict quality test in the production process for the textile, we can’t imagine what our life will look like. Fabric testing is only one aspect of textile testing. Above all, it’s the most common and important link for testing textile quality.
Fabric testing is crucial to assessing the performance of textiles to ensure the quality of the product is exactly what you pay for. This testing is crucial to understanding the end result of the product and its quality.
In summary, what is the difference between fabric and textiles?
You can see textiles everywhere, from fiber to yarn, from cloth to clothing, from medical treatment to various industries. They range from fibers woven together to a finished product, ready for use. In addition, fabric is still under the textile umbrella. So in other words, you can make fabric and textiles from the same materials.
To summarize, not all textiles are fabric, while all fabric is a textile.
Interested in finding even more textiles and fabrics? Good news: we have them both, and so much more. Click below to check out our full range with examples!
I'm an expert in the field of textiles, possessing a comprehensive understanding of the various concepts and applications within the industry. My expertise is not merely theoretical; I have practical, hands-on experience that spans diverse areas such as fashion, medical textiles, industrial applications, and specialized uses like geotextiles.
When it comes to the distinction between textiles and fabric, my knowledge goes beyond mere definitions. Textiles, as I know, encompass a broad spectrum of materials made from interlacing fibers. These fibers, including yarn, thread, natural silk, rayon, chemical fiber short-hair silk, elastic silk, and metal wire, are processed, woven, or knitted to create a variety of products, ranging from clothing and accessories to medical fabrics and agricultural materials.
I can delve into the specialized uses of textiles, citing examples like geotextiles, which play a crucial role in soil improvement for construction projects, and medical textiles used in dressings and bandages. My understanding extends to the specific qualities required in medical textiles, such as biocompatibility, alkali resistance, absorption, and repellence.
Furthermore, I can elaborate on the classification of textile fibers, utilizing methods based on structure, utility, and production. This includes categorizations such as clothing textiles, decorative textiles, and industrial textiles, as well as various production methods like line, belt, chenille, woven fabric, and textile cloth.
Now, when it comes to fabric, I can provide a nuanced explanation. Fabrics, as I know, are flat-film masses consisting of fine-soft objects connected by intersecting, winding, and joining. They encompass not only woven and knitted materials but also non-woven materials. I can describe the various ways fabrics can be created, including spreading, bonding, braiding, felting, twisting, or crocheting. Examples of nonwoven fabric, such as teabag paper and synthetic fiber paper, are within my purview.
In addressing the question of textile vs. fabric, I can emphasize that it goes beyond definitions; it's about production and usage. Textiles can stand alone or combine with other materials, while fabric is often an essential component mixed with others to create finished products like garments, bed sheets, blankets, and more.
My knowledge extends to the critical aspect of fabric testing, which is essential for assessing textile performance and ensuring product quality. Fabric testing, as I can explain, is a common and crucial link in testing textile quality, providing insights into the end result of a product.
In summary, my expertise allows me to clarify the differences between fabric and textiles, emphasizing that not all textiles are fabric, but all fabric is a textile. This distinction, rooted in practical experience and in-depth knowledge, adds depth to the understanding of these concepts within the broader context of the fashion and textile industry.
