textile

Introduction
Development of textiles and the textile industry
- From prehistoric times to the 19th century
  - Early textile production
    - Early fabrics
    - Textiles in the Middle Ages
    - Textile industries of France and Germany
    - Textile manufacture in England
    - Textiles in the New World
  - Effects of the Industrial Revolution
- From the 19th century to the present
  - Application of scientific methods
  - The modern textile industry
    - Modern fabrics
    - Quality control
Production of yarn
- Textile fibres
  - Raw materials
  - Factors affecting cost
- Conversion to yarn
  - Treatment of raw fibre
  - Spinning
    - Early spinning methods
    - Modern spinning
    - Reeling and throwing
  - Yarn packages
- Types of yarn
  - Classification based on number of strands
    - Single yarns
    - Ply yarns
    - Cord yarns
  - Novelty yarns
    - Textured yarns
    - Stretch yarns
    - Metallic yarns
  - Classification based on use
    - Fabric construction yarns
    - Yarns used in handwork
    - Sewing thread
  - Measurement systems
    - Indirect systems
    - Denier system
    - Tex system
Production of fabric
- Woven fabrics
  - The weaving process
  - Early development of the loom
    - Two-bar
    - Horizontal frame looms
    - Drawlooms
    - The Jacquard attachment
    - The flying shuttle
    - Power-driven looms
  - Modern looms
  - Basic weaves
    - Plain weave
    - Twill weave
    - Satin weave
  - Complex weaves
    - Multiple plain weave
    - Pile weave
    - Inlaid weave
    - Jacquard weave
    - Dobby weaves
    - Gauze or leno weave
- Knitted fabrics
  - Knitting machines
  - Weft knitting
  - Warp knitting
    - Raschel
    - Tricot
    - Special effects in warp knits
- Other interlaced fabrics
  - Net and lace making
  - Braiding or plaiting
- Noninterlaced fabrics
  - Felt
  - Bonding
  - Laminating
Textile finishing processes
- Basic methods and processes
  - Preparatory treatments
    - Burling and mending
    - Scouring
    - Bleaching
    - Mercerization
    - Drying
  - Finishes enhancing appearance
    - Napping and shearing
    - Brushing
    - Singeing
    - Beetling
    - Decating
    - Tentering, crabbing, and heat-setting
    - Calendering
    - Creping
    - Optical brightening
  - Finishes enhancing tactile qualities
    - Sizing
    - Weighting
    - Fulling
    - Softening
  - Finishes improving performance
    - Shrinkage control
    - Durable press
    - Crease resistance
    - Soil release
    - Antistatic finishes
    - Antibacterial and antifungus finishes
    - Moth-repellent treatments
    - Waterproofing and water repellence
    - Flameproof, fireproof, and fire-resistant finishes
- Dyeing and printing
  - Dyeing
    - Types of dyes
    - Application process
    - Forms in which textiles are dyed
    - Machinery and equipment
  - Printing
    - Block printing
    - Roller printing
    - Screen printing
    - Heat transfer printing
Textile consumption
- Changing uses of fabric in apparel
- Household textiles
- Industrial fabrics
  - Composition products
  - Processing fabrics
  - Direct-use fabrics
- Fabrics for protective clothing

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

Diagram titled Spinning jenny showing an operator using a hand wheel to rotate a cord-driven roller, drawing and twisting fibers from multiple clamped rovings onto tilted spindles; numbered callouts trace the process from roving to thread.

S- and Z-twist yarns

diagram of single, ply, and cord yarns

examples of textured yarns

three basic motions of weaving

loom devices and their functions

Jacquard loom engraving, 1874

diagram of a modern handloom

types of weaves

Why does some clothing shrink in the wash?

At a Glance

Handwoven Bolivian textiles with colorful geometric patterns are neatly arranged for sale on the ground at a market in Tarabuco.

textile summary

Related Questions

Diagram titled Spinning jenny showing an operator using a hand wheel to rotate a cord-driven roller, drawing and twisting fibers from multiple clamped rovings onto tilted spindles; numbered callouts trace the process from roving to thread. — Spinning jenny diagram showing how fiber is spun into thread An annotated diagram showing how an operator uses a hand wheel, rollers, and spindles on a spinning jenny to draw and twist unspun fiber into thread.

textile

material

Written by

Charles S. WhewellAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 1, 2026 •History

textile, any filament, fibre, or yarn that can be made into fabric or cloth, and the resulting material itself. The term is derived from the Latin textilis and the French texere, meaning “to weave,” and it originally referred only to woven fabrics. It has, however, come to include fabrics produced by other methods. Thus, threads, cords, ropes, braids, lace, embroidery, nets, and fabrics made by weaving, knitting, bonding, felting, or tufting are textiles. Some definitions...

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