New Fabric Material Revolutionizes the Clothing Industry

In the fabric industry, traditional materials have held sway for a long time; cotton, wool, and linen are the mainstay and natural silk is their exotic alternative. In the 20th century, new fabric materials arrived, which are the products of modern chemistry. Nylon led the polymer-based fiber selections that imitated silk and introduced new characteristics with its presence. Polypropylene fiber created non-absorbent materials for insulating and active-wear products. As the 20th century came to a close, synthetic materials that could be manufactured from fossil carbon sources became less popular for environmental reasons.

Closer to the chemistry of silk, cellulose-based products like rayon were developed early but had issues with colorfastness and durability, relegating them to a secondary or inferior role in the quest for new fabric material. But the interest in renewable resources and environmentally-friendly products once again turned society's attention to using fast-growing, natural materials.

New products from familiar but surprising sources are beginning to appear, such as soy and bamboo.  At first glance, the thought of wearing clothing made from the basic source of tofu or tomato stakes seems incredulous. But both are soft, lustrous fibers that are in many ways better than silk. Cellulose-based fiber issues have now been overcome with the introduction of new fabric material like Tencel, which uses a new manufacturing process to create fiber from wood pulp.

On the synthetic side, there is still room for specialty fabrics like super-strong and impact-resistant Kevlar and fire-resistant Nomex for protective clothing. With traditional fibers, the resurgent interest in hand-crafted fabric material has resulted in a growing spinning and weaving movement that combines different fibers in different ways. Craft and art fairs feature clothing and decor items made with combinations of wool, silk, linen, and synthetic fibers as well as the new “green” fibers that have not yet found their way into clothing stores.  A great resource for more information on the topic can be found at Fabric Material Passions, a site dedicated solely to fabric materials and the creations you can make with it.

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