| Fabrics | Weaves | Characteristics | Uses |
| Acetate | Soft, crisp feel and durable. | Clothing, uniforms, lingerie, linings, interlinings. | |
| Acrylic | Durable, soft and wooly feel. | Used as replacement of wool. | |
| Alpaca | Various weaves, knits and weights. | Fine, silk-like, soft, lightweight, and warm. | Men's and Women's suits, coats, and sportswear, linings, sweaters. |
| Angora goat | Various weaves and knitted. | Smooth, very strong, and high luster. | Carpet, upholstery, curtain, and automobile cloth. |
| Angora rabbit | Various weaves and knitted. | Long, very fine, light weight, extremely warm and fluffy. | Knit wear - gloves, scarves, sweaters, etc. for children and women. |
| Beaver | Soft, silky, shiny. | Fur coats, trimming fur and fabric garments. | |
| Broadcloth | Plain weave. | Closely woven with smooth finish. | Shirts, dresses, particularly the tailored type in plain colors, blouses, summer wear. |
| Camel hair | Twill or plain | Light weight, lustrous and soft. | Coats, women's suits, sports coats, sweaters, some blankets and put in some very expensive oriental rugs. Also used in (fine) overcoating, topcoating, hosiery and transmission belts. |
| Canvas | Plain. | Mostly rugged. | Hair canvas is an interfacing material in various weights. |
| Cashmere (Kashmir) | All weaves but mostly plain or twill. All knits. | Soft, silky and very lightweight. | Knitted into sweaters for men and women, also women's dresses. |
| Challis | Plain. | Soft and very lightweight. | Women's and children's dresses and blouses, kimonos, neckties, and sportswear. |
| Chiffon | Plain. | Lightweight, sheer, and transparent. | Evening wear, blouses and scarves. |
| Crepe | Mostly plain but various weaves. | Crinkled and puckered surface with rough feel and appearance. | Depending on weight, it is used for dresses of all types, including long dinner dresses, suits, and coats. |
| Damask | Figured on Jacquard loom. | Reversible fabric with woven pattern. Sheds dirt. | |
| Denim | Twill - right hand - may be L2/1 or L3/1. | Originally had dark blue, brown or dark gray warp with a white or gray filling giving a mottled look and used only for work clothes. Comes in heavy and lighter weights. | Pants, caps, uniforms, bedspreads, slipcovers, draperies, upholstery, sportswear. |
| Douppioni | Plain. | Irregular with many slubs. It is imitated in rayon and some synthetics | |
| Drill | Twill. | Closer, flatter wales that gabardine. | Uniforms, work clothes, slip covers, sportswear, and many industrial uses. |
| Flannel | Usually twill, some plain. | Soft, with a napped surface that partially cancels the weave. Dull finish. Made in a variety of weights. Shrinks if not pre-shrunk. Sags with wear, unless underlined. Does not shine or hold a crease. | Blazers, dresses, skirts, suits and coats. Boys suits, jackets, and shirts. |
| Gabardine | Steep twill | Clear finish, tightly woven, firm, durable. Wears extremely well. Inclined to shine with wear. Hard to press properly. | Men's and women's tailored suits, coats, raincoats, uniforms, and men's shirts. |
| Georgette | Plain. | It is characterized by it's crispness, body and outstanding durability. It is sheer and has a dull face. | |
| Herringbone twill | Twill. | It is usually created in wool and has varying qualities. | Suitings, top coatings, sports coats. |
| Houndstooth | Broken twill weave. | Weaned into an irregular check of a four pointed star. | sportcoats, suits. |
| Mohair | Plain or twill or knitted. | Smooth, glossy, and wiry. | Linings, pile fabrics, suitings, upholstery fabrics, braids, dress materials, felt hats, and sweaters. |
| Nylon | Very strong, resistant to both abrasion chemicals. It is elastic, easy to wash and is quite lustrous. It returns easily to it's original shape and is non-absorbent. It is fast drying, resistant to some dyes. | Women's hosiery, knitted or woven lingerie, socks and sweaters. | |
| Organdy | Plain. | Made with tightly twisted yarns. Crispness is due to a finish with starch and calendaring which washes out, or a permanent crispness obtained with chemicals. Wrinkles badly unless given a wrinkle-free finish. | Collars and cuffs, artificial flowers, millinery, summer formals, blouses, aprons. |
| Organza | Plain. | Fine, sheer, lightweight, crisp fabric. It has a very wiry feel. It crushes or musses fairly easily, but it is easily pressed. Dressy type of fabric, sometimes has a silvery sheen. | Evening dresses, trimming, millinery, underlinings for delicate, sheer materials. |
| Oxford | Plain variations - usually basket 2 x 1. | Warp has two fine yarns which travel as one and one heavier softly-spun bulky filling which gives it a basket-weave look. Rather heavy. | Men's shirts mostly. Summer jackets, shirts, skirts, dresses, and sportswear. |
| Polyester | It is lightweight, strong and resistant to creasing, shrinking, stretching, mildew and abrasion. It is readily washable and is not damaged by sunlight or weather and is resistant to moths and mildew. | Vary, depending on blend. | |
| Pongee | Plain. | Light or medium weight. | Dresses, blouses, summer suits. |
| Rayon | It¹s drapability and dyeability are excellent and it is fairly soft. Rayon does have a tendency to shrink but does not melt in high temperatures. It is resistant to moths and is not affected by ordinary household bleaches and chemicals. | Clothing, hose. | |
| Sateen | Sateen filling-face weave. | Lustrous and smooth with the sheen in a filling direction. Better qualities are mercerized to give a higher sheen. | Dresses, sportswear, robes, pajamas. |
| Satin | Satin. | Usually has a lustrous surface and a dull back. Made in many colors, weights, varieties, qualities, and degrees of stiffness. | Slips, evening wear, coats, capes, and jackets, lining fabrics, millinery. |
| Spandex | It is lightweight and flexible. It resists deterioration from perspiration, detergent and body oils. It is characterized by it¹s strength and durability. | Athletic wear and foundation garments. | |
| Taffeta | Usually plain with a fine cross rib. | It is smooth with a sheen on its surface. The textures vary considerably. They have a crispness and stiffness. | Dressy evening wear: suits and coats, slips, ribbons, blouses, dresses. |
| Tussah | Usually plain but also in twill. | It is coarse, strong, and uneven. Dull lustre and rather stiff. Has a rough texture with many slubs, knots, and bumps. | In lighter weights, dresses. In heavier weights, coats and suits and ensembles. |
| Velour | Thick, plush pile, with a plain or satin ground, or sometimes knitted. | The pile is characterized by uneven lengths (usually two) which gives it a rough look. The two lengths of pile create light and shaded areas on the surface. A rather pebbled effect. | Dressing gowns, dresses, waist-coats. |
| Velvet | Pile, made with an extra warp yarn. | velvet may be crush resistant, water resistant, and drapes well. Has to be handled with care, and pressed on a velvet board. | Eveningwear, at home wear. |
| Voile | Plain, loosely woven. | Sheer and very light weight. To obtain a top quality fabric, very highly twisted yarns are used. Voile drapes and gathers very well. | Dresses, blouses. |
| Wool | It is very resilient and resistant to wrinkling. It is renewed by moisture and well known for it's warmth. | Clothing, blankets, winter wear. |
| Cotton | Wool | Polyester | Polypropylene | Nylon | |
| Water Retention | High | High | Low | Lowest | Medium |
| Drying Time | Long | Long | Short | Shortest | Short |
| Heat Conduction (Wet) | High | Low | Low | Low | Medium |
| Comfort Level (Dry) | High | Medium | High | Medium | Medium |
| Shrinkage | High | High | Low | High | Low |
| Durability | Medium | Medium | High | Medium | High |
| Colour Choice | High | High | High | Low | High |
| Paddling Suitability | Low | Low | High | Medium | Medium |
| Camping Suitability | Medium | High | High | Medium | Medium |
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