Synthetic fabrics and the synthetic fibers that make them.

The word synthetic means “made by chemical synthesis, not naturally or organically, meant to imitate a natural product.” This word in the name of the fabric itself tells you what it is all about. Synthetic fibers are inorganically made man-made fibers, made from chemicals based on oil products And Synthetic fabrics are made from synthetic fibers as a substitute for natural fabrics, with the better qualities of these natural fabrics in them.

The chemicals used to make the synthetic fibers like sodium hydroxide and carbon disulphide are derived from coal, oil, or natural gas.

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Properties of Synthetic fibers and Synthetic fabrics

These fabrics are engineered by men to have all the qualities they want. Most of the fabrics made of synthetic fibers have many things in common. Some are good and desired, some not so good. But there they are.

All synthetic fibers are filament fibers with a rod-like structure, long, circular when cut in a cross-section. The synthetic fabrics have a smooth and shiny appearance. They are lightweight but very strong, much stronger than the natural fabrics – a very desirable quality; they are all poor conductors of heat; They are generally easily maintainable, with less creasing. The fabric dries quickly. They have natural elasticity and flexibility. Easy maintenance is what attracts it to you and me as clothing fabrics. These fabrics are, to top it all, inexpensive. 

Now to the bad- Synthetic fabrics do not have the breathability of natural fabrics. They do not absorb moisture, which makes them rather uncomfortable on the skin.  All of them melt with a chemical odor when put to flame and leave molten beads as residue. This will stick to your skin if you are wearing it when it is melting. It is considered as a Burn Hazard by the US military.

The cost to the environment due to the manufacture, use and disposal of synthetic fabrics are many –  air pollution and water pollution are the first things (and the worst) that come to my mind.The fact that they are non-biodegradable and can remain in the same form for many many years spells even more doom.

However bad or good or the best you think they are, there is no escaping from synthetic fabrics for us humans.”  The global market size of synthetic fiber is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 7.25% between 2018 and 2023″ www.marketresearchfuture.com

They are slowly winning the war against natural fabrics and I can foresee a time when natural fabrics will only be seen in a textile museum. But there is one thing that can halt the production of synthetic fibers – nonavailability of its raw materials – oil products.

Reference : If your clothes aren’t already made out of plastic, they will be

List of the most used Synthetic fabrics

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1. Nylon

Nylon is one of the most used synthetic fabrics; Since it was produced as a replacement for silk by DuPont, it has had unprecedented growth in usage across all sectors –  apparel,, industrial, home furnishing, automatic, construction, etc. The nylon fabric is preferred for its qualities like strength, resistance to abrasion, flexibility, quick-drying, water resistance, etc.

You can learn more about Nylon fiber and fabric here.

2. Polyester

Polyester was another discovery by the DuPont company. It is now the most popular apparel fabric in the world. The durability and strength of polyester fabric along with its cost-effectiveness and easy maintenance make it the chosen fabric for most fast-fashion labels.

Read more on Polyester fabric and Polyester fabric care for answers to frequently asked questions like “Will polyester shrink” etc.

3. Acrylic

Acrylic, the fabric that closely resembles wool fabric is a pure synthetic fabric. It is understandably made as a substitute for wool. You get acrylic wool yarn which can be knitted into fabric or you can buy acrylic clothing at a fraction of the price of wool, but just as warm and soft. In fact many wool garments that you buy may be made of acrylic. The un-informed person can easily be fooled because of its close resemblance to wool in softness and appearance. Read more about different types of acrylic fabrics.

4. Spandex 

Spandex is a true blue synthetic fabric made of Polyurethane with a lot of elasticity; an alternative name for spandex is Elastane. It can stretch up to 400% of its original length and spring back in the same condition. It is lightweight and can wick moisture from the body. This fabric is the most popular choice for clothing that requires flexibility like sports apparel, exercise wear, form-fitting clothes, swimwear, etc. Most of the casual clothing today will have some amount of spandex fibers woven into its fabric.

More on Spandex here

5. Olefin

“Olefin fiber is a synthetic fiber made from a polyolefin, such as polypropylene or polyethylene” Wikipedia. It is not much of an apparel fabric but it is widely used in home furnishing, making ropes, etc. It is one of the most environmentally friendly fabrics among the synthetic fabrics as the production process is so and it is recyclable. It is strong, lightweight, durable, and is available in many textures.

6. Synthetic fur, leather and Suede

Synthetic fur/ leather and suede are manufactured to replace costly leather and suede and have most of the appearance of fur/leather/suede right about them. Synthetic suede resembles suede leather. They are widely used to make accessories like bags, shoes, belts, etc as well as clothes like pants, jackets at very less cost than that of leather/suede or fur. Synthetic leather is made with a polyurethane face and has a knit or woven backing. The synthetic suede is made of nylon/polyester blended yarn and then the fabric is brushed to get the appearance of suede

Read more on synthetic Suede materials here.

7. Neoprene

This is a waterproof synthetic rubber (Polychloroprene ) used in the apparel industry. It was invented in 1930 by DuPont company as a  substitute for natural rubber. It is latex-free, very strong, waterproof, and resistant to damage from solvents, oils, weathering, and abrasion. It is used to make bags, laptop sleeves, scuba wear, wet suits, and sportswear.

8. Polyester fleece

Polyester fleece is a two-sided pile/napped fabric made from polyester fibers. Microfleece is a very lightweight and soft synthetic knit fabric. Polyester fleece fabric has the insulating capacity of wool. In fact, it is warmer than wool and lightweight too. It was first made by Maiden Mills USA and marketed under its trademark names Polartec and Polar Fleece.

Read more about the different kinds of dressmaking fleece .

9. Microfiber

Microfiber is a synthetic textile made from ultra-fine yarns like acrylic, polyester, and nylon. Microfiber is  1/20 the diameter of a silk fiber, which is the finest of natural fibers. It is  used to make clothes and upholstery and very famously as cleaning cloth

Read more about Microfiber here.

10. Acetate

It is a soft and shiny fabric used a great deal in dressmaking, made of with spun filaments of cellulose.

Read more about Acetate fabric here.

Some very famous Branded Synthetic textiles 

11. Lycra® 

Lycra® is the registered trademark of Invista for a very resilient spandex fabric .

12. Gore-Tex®

Gore-Tex Fabric is one of the most waterproof materials available. It is produced by W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. It has a special coating on it made of expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE-Teflon) that makes it water proof but breathable

13. Tactel®

TACTEL® is a very lightweight and soft form of Nylon  with a crinkle finish developed to make clothes.  Superior strength and durability and easy maintenance are other advantages.

14. Kevlar

If you are looking out for fabric for making Bullet proof clothes do not go further than Kevlar. It is one of the strongest of all synthetic fibers. Infact it is said to be 5 times stronger than steel. It was developed by DuPont company in 1971.

15. Artic Fleece®

Artic Fleece is a superior polar fleece developed by Menra Mills. It is light, insulating, breathable, abrasion- resistant, easy to wash and quick-dry and is used  extensively in active outdoor apparel

16. Polartec

Polartech is the trademarked name for a biodegradable polyester fabric (polyester fleece)made from recycled plastic bottles by Maiden Mills USA.

17. Dacron® & Terelyne

Dacron is the registered name for polyester material by Dupont. Terylene [ICI], along with Dacron® [DuPont] in the U.S, are the first commercially marketed polyester fibers. They are strong, hypoallergenic, non-absorbent, and mildew-resistant fabrics with high resistance to stretching,and degradation by chemical bleaches and abrasion. 

18. Coolmax®

Coolmax is the brand name for a series of polyester fabrics developed and marketed by Invista (Wikipedia)” Moisture wicking, quick-dry and comfort are the qualities that this fabrics bring to apparel industry.”They’re designed to transport moisture away from the body to keep wearers cool and dry to help them optimize their performance at different levels” says their website here

19. Cordura®

Cordura is one of the toughest fabrics today. It is used to make outdoor clothing and military apparel because of its strength, endurance, and water-resistant, abrasion-resistant qualities. It is made with high tenacity air-jet textured nylon 6,6 filament yarns. It can also be blended with natural fibers. The registered brand name is the property of INVISTA.

20. Darlexx®

This is the registered brand name of a fabric with windproof, waterproof, and breathable qualities with high stretchability belonging to the Shawmut Corporation.

21. Nomex^®

This is a heat-proof fabric that is used to make garments for firefighters, astronauts racing car drivers, and in the petrochemical industry where contact with heat and fire is present. The fabric has a low level of flammability and does not melt or drip like other synthetic fabrics and is very strong and durable.You can read more about its durability in the dupont website dupont.com.

21. Supplex® 

This is a 100% nylon fabric by INVISTA with the feel of cotton with extra qualities of anti-abrasion, breathable, holds shape, anti-tear, waterproof, dries fast, retains color and can be UV protective.

22. DrySport®

Dry sport fabric is the registered trademark of InSport for a fabric used for making sportswear, like cycling jerseys. It is double-faced with one side nylon and other side Polyester-Spandex blend. Its moisture-wicking property pulls dampness away from the skin keeping the body comfortable at all times.

23. Toughtek®

This is the brand name for an abrasion-resistant grip fabric owned by Harrison Technologies. It is non-slip in wet, dry, hot, and cold conditions.

24. Solarmax®

This is the fabric used to make flags and banners which are always out in the sun because of its extra ultraviolet resistance. It is a 100% Nylon fabric.

25 Schoeller® – keprotec

A group of highly tear and abrasion-resistant fabrics used to make protective clothing made with tough Kevlar® fiber. They are owned by Schoeller Textil AG, Switzerland, and were made originally for motorcycle racing. They have other trademarked textiles with high performance like  Schoeller®-stretch light, Schoeller®-prestige.

26. Rhinotek®

This refers to high-grade abrasion-resistant water-resistant fabrics that are coated with a patented Copolymer formulation by Harrison Technologies.

27. Nano Care 

This is a range of stain repellent fabrics from Nan-Text textiles. The fabric is coated with a special textile finishing called Nanotex which uses nanotechnology to increase resistance to spills and stains. 

28. Lurex®

Lurex is the registered trademark name for a type of yarn. It is a yarn made from a thin strip of aluminum sandwiched between two plastic films. The metallic sheen is the highlight of fabrics made with this yarn. The best thing about fabric made with this fabric is that the metallic sheen does not fade or tarnish. No more using of gold or silver to get that permanent and luxurious sheen to your clothes and at a fraction of the cost. Read more about this fabric here.

29. Avora®

Avora is the trademarked name for Flame resistant polyester fiber from INVISTA ( the new name of DuPont). It is used to make Flame-resistant fabrics with permanent flame resistance.

30. Dyneema & Zylon – the strongest fibers

Dyneema is a high-end laminate fabric constructed from non-woven composites. Zylon ( PBO fiber) is a synthetic fiber produced by Toyobo Corporation. These are said to be the strongest of all synthetic fibers.