What is Natural Fabric? 5 Most Common Natural Fabric and Fiber Types

"Natural fabrics are created only from natural fibers." Well, it's a bit more complex than that. Unlike synthetic fibers which are petroleum-based, natural fabrics are made from fibers found in nature, including those from animals, plant seeds, leaves, stems, and even minerals.
 

Read more: “What is Synthetic Fabric? 5 Differences Between Natural and Synthetic Fibers”

What is Natural Fibre?

Before we talk about natural fabrics, we should learn about natural fibre first. Natural fibers are fibrous materials produced through photosynthesis, coming from natural resources like plants, animals, and minerals. These fibers, sometimes called vegetable, biomass, photomass, phytomass, agromass, solarmass, or photosynthetic fibers, have been used by humans for thousands of years to make clothing, shelter, and other essential items. Known for their durability, biodegradability, and renewability, they are often considered more environmentally friendly than synthetic fibers made from petroleum products.
 

Classification of Natural Fibres

Don’t worry, we will try to explain this as easy and quick as possible. Basically, you can classify natural fibers into three main categories: animal, vegetable, and mineral. And each main category includes different types of fibers. 
 

1. Animal fibres

These fibers are known as protein fibers or keratin polyester. Familiar fabrics like wool, silk, leather, alpaca, mohair, angora, camel, and vicuña all fall into this category. 
 

2. Vegetable fibres

Also known as cellulosic fibers or glucose polymers, these include cotton, linen, ramie, sisal, jute, coir, pineapple, grasses, bananas, kapok, bamboo, and hemp. Plant fibers, cellulosic fibers, bast fibers, leaf fibers, and seed fibers all fall under this category.
 

3. Mineral fibres

Examples in this category include asbestos and metals like copper, silver, and gold.

 

7 Common Types of Natural Fibres

1. Plant Fibers

Falling under the category of vegetable fibers, these are obviously obtained from plants, such as cotton, linen, hemp, and jute.
 

2. Animal Fibers

Obtained from animals, such as wool, silk, cashmere, and alpaca.
 

3. Cellulosic Fibers

These fibers also fall under the vegetable category. They are derived from plant cell walls, including cotton, linen, and hemp.
 

4. Protein Fibers

Derived from animal hair or secretions, such as wool, silk, and cashmere.
 

5. Bast Fibers

Obtained from the stems of certain plants, such as flax, hemp, and jute.
 

6. Leaf Fibers

Obtained from leaves of certain plants, such as sisal and abaca.
 

7. Seed Fibers

Obtained from seeds, such as cotton and kapok.

Note that some fibers fit into more than one classification. For example, cotton is both a plant fiber and a cellulosic fiber.
 

What Are Natural Fabrics?

Now you have a rough idea of what natural fibers are, we can dive deeper about what natural fabric is. Basically, natural fabric is woven or knitted from fibers that occur naturally. As we have learned earlier, these natural fibers come from three main sources: animals, plants, and minerals.
 

Types of Natural Fabrics

1. Natural Fabrics From Vegetable Fibers

This includes cotton, flax, jute, hemp, and bamboo. Each type of fiber is derived from a specific part of the plant, such as the seed hair, stem, leaf, or husk, and consists mainly of cellulose.

• Cotton

  This fabric is made from fibers found inside the seed of the cotton plant (seed hair fibers). It's known for being comfortable, absorbent, and soft (depending on the weave), making it the most commonly used textile in the world. It's also relatively inexpensive compared to other natural fabrics. 

• Coir

  Coir is made from fibers taken from the outer covering of coconuts (coconut husk).​​​​

• Linen

  This fabric is made from bast fibers taken from the stem of the flax plant. The elegance of linen is unparalleled, and it is also the world’s oldest known woven fabric. Learn more about the different types of linen fabric.

• ​​​​​Hemp

  Hemp is a bast fiber from the cannabis sativa plant that produces staple fibers. Incredibly strong yet lightweight, hemp is excellent for making ropes and cordage. Its production process is similar to linen, starting out stiff but softening with time and wear. While strong, hemp's shorter staple length can make it feel scratchy against the skin. It has a high absorption rate and is naturally resistant to mold.

   

2. Natural Fabrics From Animal Fibers

Animal fibers, like wool and silk, are made exclusively of proteins. Wool fabric is typically produced from sheep fleece, but it also includes fleece from alpacas. Fabrics can also be made from the hair or fibers of other animals, such as rabbit fur, angora, and mohair. Silk is another notable animal fiber, but unlike others, it isn't made from hair or fur. Instead, it comes from the continuous thread of a moth larva's spun cocoon. Producing silk is an extensive process to create a single fiber, which adds to its luxurious and exclusive nature. However, we don't consider natural fabrics from animal fibers as sustainable fabrics because the production might involve animal cruelty. 

Read more: Sustainable Fabrics: How Eco-Friendly Are They Really?
 

3. Natural Fabrics From Mineral Fibers

Mineral fibers are less commonly used in fashion or interior fabrics but are valuable in industrial settings. Fine threads of metallic fibers can be processed on regular textile machinery and are often spun or woven with other fibers to create industrial-use fabric. However, its use near humans has been linked to serious health risks.
 

Pros and Cons of Natural Fibres

Drawbacks of Natural Fabrics

One common issue with natural fabrics is their tendency to wrinkle easily. Even just leaving them in the dryer for too long can cause wrinkles. It's in their nature. The best approach is to iron them well and embrace the wrinkles as part of their charm. Another concern is shrinkage, especially with fitted garments. Clothes that fit perfectly might become too tight after a few washes. Usually, this happens during the first washes. If you buy garments made from pre-shrunk material, this won't be an issue. Shedding is another problem. Natural fabrics are made from short-staple yarns, so they may shed with wear.
 

Natural vs. Synthetic Fibers

History of Natural Fabrics

Well, before we end this article, we thought that maybe you’d like to know a bit of the history of natural fabrics.The oldest linen cloth was actually found in Turkey, dating back to 6500 BC. Around 3300 BC, people in the Indus Valley Civilization made cotton. Turning raw natural fibers into usable fabric involves several meticulous steps. Cultivation requires skilled farmers, and processing includes scouring and bleaching. Yarn production is followed by knitting or weaving, and finally, the fabric is dyed and finished. The traditional methods are still used today in sustainable fashion; however, because of the environmental impact of the textile industry and fast fashion, people start aiming to have a more environmentally friendly choice.
 

Final thoughts

Now you understand what natural fibers and natural fabrics are. If you are interested in using natural fabrics for your products but don’t know which one to choose, feel free to contact us. Yu-City connects you directly to manufacturers whose work and product we know and respect. Not interested in using natural fabrics but have more questions that we didn’t cover above? Send us a message and we’ll be sure to answer them!

FAQS

1. What are the 5 natural fiber types and their descriptions?

• Cotton: Soft, breathable, and absorbent, making it ideal for clothing and home textiles.

• Wool: Warm, insulating, and moisture-wicking, commonly used for sweaters, blankets, and outdoor wear.

• Silk: Luxurious, smooth, and strong with a natural sheen, often used in high-end clothing and bedding.

• Linen: Made from flax plant fibers, it is durable, absorbent, and cool to the touch, perfect for summer clothing and home textiles.

• Hemp: Strong and durable, with a high absorption rate and natural resistance to mold, used for ropes, textiles, and eco-friendly products.

2. How many kinds of natural fiber are there?

There are three main categories of natural fibers:

• Plant-based fibers (e.g., cotton, linen, hemp)

• Animal-based fibers (e.g., wool, silk, cashmere)

• Mineral-based fibers (e.g., asbestos)

3. What is the strongest natural fabric?

Hemp: Known for its incredible strength and durability, making it one of the strongest natural fabrics.
 

4. What is the most comfortable natural fabric?

Cotton: Widely regarded as the most comfortable due to its softness, breathability, and hypoallergenic properties.
 

5. Which fabric is best for human body?

Cotton: Generally considered the best for the human body due to its comfort, breathability, and hypoallergenic nature.
 

6. Is it better to wear natural fabrics?

Yes, wearing natural fabrics is generally better because they are breathable, comfortable, hypoallergenic, and environmentally friendly.
 

7. What is the best natural fabric for skin?

Cotton: Known for being gentle on the skin, hypoallergenic, and comfortable, making it the best natural fabric for skin.
 

8. What is the least toxic fabric to wear?

Organic Cotton: Considered the least toxic fabric because it is grown without harmful pesticides and processed without toxic chemicals.
 

9. What is the most expensive natural fabric?

Silk: Often the most expensive natural fabric due to its luxurious feel, labor-intensive production process, and high demand.
 

10. What are 3 features of natural fibres?

• Biodegradable: They decompose naturally and are environmentally friendly.

• Renewable: Sourced from renewable resources like plants and animals.

• Breathable: Allow air circulation, making them comfortable to wear.

11. What are the positive characteristics of natural fibres?

• Environmentally Friendly: Biodegradable and renewable, reducing environmental impact.

• Comfortable: Soft, breathable, and gentle on the skin.

• Durable: Many natural fibers are strong and long-lasting, providing excellent wearability.