📖The Materials Workshop - Maraval Couture's Textile Guide

Chapter 1

Fibre, yarn, material and fabric : what are the differences?

When you first start learning about sewing, it is common to confuse the terms "fibre", "thread", "material" and "fabric". However, each one refers to a very specific stage in the manufacture of a textile.

After more then 30 years spent designing wedding dresses and bespoke garments, I have noticed that this confusion is very common. Even people who have been sewing for a long time sometimes use these terms as synonyms.

Understanding these differences will help you choose your fabrics more effectively, read a fabric label and understand why two garments can look completely different.

Fibre : the origin of textiles

Fibre is the raw material. It is used to make yarn, and then fabric.

There are three main families of fibres.

1. Natural fibres

They come straight from nature.

Examples :

• cotton

• flax

• wool

• silk

2. Man-made fibres

They are made from a natural material, usually cellulose derived from wood, wich is processed using an industrial method.

Examples :

• viscose

• modal

• lyocell (Tencel™)

3. Synthetic fibres

They are made from petrochemical.

Examples :

• polyester

• polyamide

• acrylic

• elastane

The thread

The fibres are then spun to produce yarn.

It is this yarn that will be woven or knitted to make a fabric.

The subject matter

The material refers to the composition of a textile.

A few examples :

• 100 % cotton ;

• 100 % viscose ;

• 70 % cotton – 30 % viscose ;

• 55 % linen – 45 % viscose.

It is therefore entirely possible to blend several different fibres into a single fabric.

The fabric

fabric is the result obtained after weaving or knitting the sons.

It is this fabric that will then be used to make a garment.

Key points

✔ Fibre is the raw material.

✔ The fibres are spun into yarns.

✔ The yarns are woven or knitted to make a fabric.

✔ The material refers to the composition of the textile.

✂️ Le conseil Maraval Couture

After more than 30 years of sewing, I've learnt that a beautiful design isn't enough. The choice of fabric is just as important. The right fabric will alaways show off a garment better than one chosen solely for its pattern.

At Maraval Couture, every creation therefore begins with a crucial step : choosing the fabric.

📚 Word of the Day

Fibre : a basic component used to make yarn.

Yarn : a bundle of fibres produced by soinning.

Weaving : a technique involing the interlacing of threads to produce a fabric.

Knitting : a technique using stitches to create a textile.

💬 A question I'm often asked

Can you mix cotton and viscose ?

Yes !

Many fabrics are made up of several fibres, such as 70 per cent cotton and 30 per cent viscose.

However, viscose is not made from cotton : it is produced from cellulose, which is usually derived from wood.

📖 Read next

➡️ Chapter 2 – How to read a clothing label ?

You now know wath a fibre, a yarn, a material and a fabric are. In the next chapter, we'll look at how to read a clothing label so that you can better understand the composition of a garment and its care instructions.

Do you have a question about a fabric or a sewing project ?

I'd be delighted to advise you.

🪡 Contact

📍 Maraval Couture — 8 Rue Michel Rondet, Saint-Étienne

📞 07 53 36 27 79

 📧 maravalcouture@outlook.fr