Textile construction: natural and synthetic fibres
Design & Technology · GCSE · The School
Natural fibres come from plants or animals
Cotton and linen come from plants, and are absorbent and cool to wear — good for summer clothing. Wool and silk come from animals, and are warm or lustrous respectively. All natural fibres share a downside: they take a long time to grow or rear, so supply and price can vary from year to year, unlike a factory-made fibre.
Synthetic fibres are manufactured from chemicals
Polyester and nylon are made from crude oil, spun into continuous filaments in a factory. They are cheap, strong, quick-drying and resist creasing — but they do not absorb moisture well, which is why a polyester shirt can feel clammy in a way cotton does not. Elastane (Lycra) is a synthetic fibre valued specifically for its stretch and recovery.
Woven fabric: two sets of threads crossing
A woven fabric interlaces two sets of threads at right angles — the warp running lengthways, the weft running across. It does not stretch much in either direction unless elastane is blended in, and it frays at a cut edge because the crossing threads are not locked together. Denim and cotton shirting are both woven.
Knitted and nonwoven: the other two constructions
A knitted fabric is made from a single continuous thread looped through itself, which is why it stretches easily in every direction and does not fray at a cut edge — the loops simply pull instead. A T-shirt is knitted for exactly this stretch and comfort. A nonwoven fabric is not woven or knitted at all: fibres are bonded together directly, by heat, pressure or a chemical, as in a disposable face mask or interfacing.
Blending combines the best of two fibres
A polycotton shirt blends polyester with cotton: the polyester resists creasing and dries fast, while the cotton adds softness and absorbency that pure polyester lacks. Neither fibre alone gives both properties — blending is chosen specifically to combine strengths that a single fibre cannot offer on its own.
Choosing a fibre and construction together, not separately
A running top might use a KNITTED synthetic fabric: knitted for stretch during movement, synthetic for quick-drying when sweating. A shirt for smart wear might use a WOVEN natural fabric: woven for a crisp, structured drape, natural for breathability. Naming both the construction AND the fibre — and explaining why each was chosen for that product's use — is what a complete specification answer needs.