Common Types of Fabrics in Garment Manufacturing – Complete Guide

20/06/2025

In the field of garment manufacturing, understanding different types of fabrics is a fundamental requirement. Each fabric carries unique physical and chemical properties, which directly influence design outcomes, product functionality, and manufacturing processes.

So, how many types of fabric are there? What are the common types of fabrics used in apparel production? In this guide, we will explore the characteristics, applications, and origins of the most widely used fabrics today – knowledge every person in fashion design or textile technology should master.

1. Cotton – The Most Popular Natural Fiber Fabric

Cotton is a natural fiber harvested from the cotton plant and woven into fabric using traditional methods. Thanks to its excellent moisture absorption, softness, and skin-friendliness, cotton is extensively used in apparel manufacturing.

Common applications include t-shirts, shirts, undergarments, children’s clothing, and sleepwear. However, pure cotton tends to shrink after washing, so it is often pre-shrunk or blended with polyester in industrial production to improve durability and dimensional stability.

It is important to distinguish between 100% cotton and cotton blends, as each serves different product requirements.

2. Polyester – Durable, Wrinkle-Resistant, and Cost-Effective

Polyester is a synthetic fiber derived from petroleum-based chemicals. It is known for its mechanical strength, wrinkle resistance, and ability to retain shape, making it one of the most important synthetic materials in modern garment production.

Despite its lower moisture absorption, polyester is widely used in jackets, uniforms, sportswear, linings, and bags. In practice, it is often blended with cotton or spandex to enhance breathability or stretch.

Blends like TC (65% polyester) and CVC (60% cotton) are commonly used for a balanced performance between durability and comfort.

3. Linen – A Premium Natural Fiber for Summer Fashion

Linen comes from the flax plant and features a coarser texture compared to cotton, but with superior moisture absorption and breathability. It is considered a high-end fabric often used in minimalist or resort-style designs.

Due to its tendency to wrinkle easily, linen is not ideal for all occasions but is highly valued in eco-friendly fashion and luxury casualwear, including summer shirts, flowy dresses, shorts, and nightwear.

4. Silk – The Symbol of Luxury and Tradition

Silk is made from silkworm cocoons and is one of the oldest and most prestigious materials in textile history. It has a smooth, lustrous surface, is lightweight, and offers natural thermoregulation.

Silk is typically used in traditional garments (such as the Vietnamese ao dai), wedding gowns, evening dresses, scarves, and luxury sleepwear. However, it is expensive, delicate, and requires skilled handling, which limits its use in mass production.

For students in design, silk demands high-level sewing techniques and careful treatment in both patterning and finishing.

5. Denim – Rugged, Functional, and Ever-Stylish

Denim is a tightly woven twill fabric, originally made from cotton and dyed with indigo. It is the staple fabric of casualwear and workwear due to its high durability and resistance to abrasion.

Products made from denim include jeans, jackets, skirts, tote bags, and even aprons or uniforms. With technological advancements, denim now comes in various forms such as stretch denim (blended with spandex) and washed denim (pre-treated for aesthetic effects like fading or distressing).

6. Spandex – Essential for Body-Fitting and Stretchy Garments

Spandex, also known as elastane, is a synthetic fiber renowned for its extraordinary elasticity. It is rarely used alone but is commonly blended into other fibers like cotton, nylon, or polyester to create stretch fabrics.

It plays a crucial role in products that require body contouring and freedom of movement, such as leggings, swimwear, sportswear, lingerie, and shapewear. While it adds flexibility, spandex is not highly absorbent, and thus it is used primarily to support form retention.

7. Fleece – Warm, Soft, and Winter-Ready

Fleece is a man-made fabric with a soft, fuzzy surface, typically produced from polyester or cotton-poly blends. It is ideal for retaining heat, making it perfect for winter garments like hoodies, jackets, children’s clothing, plush toys, blankets, and home textiles.

The quality of fleece varies greatly depending on fiber structure and surface treatment. High-grade fleece (such as Korean fleece or double-brushed fleece) offers better shape retention and less pilling.

So, How Many Types of Fabric Are There?

The answer depends on how fabrics are classified. By origin, we can divide fabrics into natural fibers (cotton, silk, linen) and synthetic fibers (polyester, spandex, nylon). By structure, fabrics fall into woven, knit, and non-woven categories. By application, we see fabrics used in fashion, industrial textiles, or interior furnishings.

However, the seven types of fabrics covered in this guide are among the most common fabrics used in garment manufacturing, representing the majority of materials used in both traditional and modern apparel production.