Properties of major Textile Fibers and Fabrics

Natural
Properties

Cotton

Flax

Wool

Silk

Manmade Cellulosic
Viscose/
Acetate
Rayon

Manmade Non-Cellulosic
Acrylic

Nylon

Polyester Spandex

Abrasion
Resistance

Good Fair

Fair

Fair

Poor

Fair

Fair

Excellent

Good

Good

Absorbancy

8.5% 12%

13.5%

11%

6.5%

11%

1.5%

2.8%4.8%

0.4%

15%

Flexibility

Fair

Good

Excellent

Excellent

Good

Good

Good

Fair

Good

19-55

400700

Poor

Elasticity @70F, 65% R.H.

% Elongation at 3.0Break
10

20-40

20

25-45

15-30

35-45

16-75

% Recovery

75

65

99

90

48-65

95

92

82-100 81

99

Poor

Fair

Good

Good

Excellent

Fair

Excellent

Excellent

Excellent

Exce
llent

Renovation
W/DC W/DC
(Wash/DryClean
)

DC

W/DC

DC

W/DC

W/DC

W/DC

W/DC

W/D
C

sAFE iRONING
lIMIT (r;F)

400

450

300

300

325

350

300

350

325

300

Sunlight
Resistance

Fair

Good

Good

Poor

Good

Fair

Excellent

Poor

Good

Fair

Handfeel

Good Fair

FairExcellent

Excellent

Excellent

Good

Good

Fair

Fair

Poor

Pilling
Resitance

Good Good

Fair

Good

Good

Good

Fair

Poor

Very
Poor

Exce
llent

Resiliency

Poor

Poor

Good

Fair

Fair

Poor

Good

Good

Excellent

Exce
llent

Specific Gravity 1.54

1.52

1.32

1.3

1.32

1.481.54

1.141.19

1.14

1.38

1.21

Good

Poor

Poor

Vary
Poor

Exce
llent

Environment
Mildew
Resistance

Static
Resistance

Good Good

Fair

Fair

Fair

Dry Strength

3.05.0

0.8-2.0

2.4-5.1

1.2-1.5 1.2-3.0 2.0-3.5 2.5-7.3 3.0-6.0 0.071.0

Good Excellent

Poor

Good

Poor

PoorGood

Fair

Excellent

Excellent

Very
Poor

+10
%

20%

15%

30%

30%50%

20%

10%

Strength Loss
when Wet

3.5-6.0

+10%

Natural
Properties

Thermoplastic

Cotton

No

Flax

No

Wool

No

Silk

No

Manmade Cellulosic
Viscose/
Acetate
Rayon

Yes

No

Manmade Non-Cellulosic
Acrylic

Yes

Nylon

Yes

- See more at:

http://www.textileschool.com/School/Fabrics.aspx#sthash.VcWetmVU.dpuf

Polyester Spandex

Yes

Yes