Fabrics & Textiles

A small glimpse into behind the scenes of the incredible garments and fabulous footwear ranges we endeavour to stock.

What are the fabrics you like composed of? 

Cotton – Cotton is a staple fibre, which mean it is composed of different, varying lengths of fibres from cotton plants with a genus of Gossypium. The term ‘cotton’ refers to a part of the plant that grows in the ‘boll’ and is spun into yarn and then woven to create soft and durable fabrics.

Viscose – Also known as Rayon it is an artificial silk. From the way this fibre is manufactured from wood pulp making it a cellulosic fibre it cannot fall into the ‘Truly Natural’ nor the ‘Truly Synthetic’ categories. Although from an organic source Viscose must go through so many processes before the result – therefore it falls in the space between categories.

Elastane – Can also be known as Spandex or Lycra, this textile is incredibly stretchy and durable as a result. Composed of a long chain polymer, Elastane is an entirely synthetic fibre with no organic materials in sight. While it isn’t common to see a high percentage of Elastane in clothing garments it is most certainly there in a small percentage. Primarily used in waist bands of trousers, cuffs of socks and sportswear.

Polyester - Polyester is a generalised term for any fabric or textile, which is made using polyester yarns or fibres. It is a shortened name for a synthetic, man-made polymer, which, as a specific material, is most referred to as a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It sounds extremely scientific, but basically, polyester is a kind of plastic.

Linen – Flax based textile that is like cotton. Completely natural and harvested from the flax plant stems but it is much more time and resource intensive that cotton production. The term ‘Linens’ refers to the above but has a blend of other fibres through it as well. i.e Viscose linen blend.

Bamboo – is a semi-synthetic as the viscose properties are pulled from the bamboo fibres and are spun to create the yarn. Its extra-ordinarily breathable and stretchy. The biggest producers of bamboo yarn that is made into clothing and other textile goods is countries in the East of Asia – predominantly China, India and Nepal.

Nylon – Nylon can be a bit of taboo fabric in the fashion world however, it is an incredibly warm fabric hence why most stockings and sportswear are made using a nylon blend. Of course, it is worth noting that nylon is a very stretchy fabric too! Like Polyester, Nylon can be considered plastic in its basic form.

Modal – sometimes known as the underwear fabric, Modal is revolutionising the fashion industry with its lightweight, stretchy and breathable nature that sees beech tree pulp turned into an eco-conscious and a durable option for clothing. You can often find it blended with other fibres like cotton for added strength.  

Acrylic – Is a man-made fabric created through chemical processes from fossil fuels – so not the most environmentally friendly – however it is made in a similar fashion to that of nylon and polyester. Essentially the fossil fuel is heated and turned into a gelatinous state and then spun to create thin long yarns which ends up as the clothing we see today.

Tencel – When you see Tencel on the label think SUSTAINABLE and think SOFT! To break down what Tencel is truly it is a collective name for a set of fibres called Lyocell and Modal (think of it like band-aids are to bandages or Kleenex are to tissues) Tencel can also be created using wood from trees from sustainably harvested forests

Ramie – in a nutshell (a highly durable and lightweight nutshell that is) Ramie also known as China Grass is one of the strongest natural fibres and is pure white. Regardless of it having heighten durability and lightness it is low in elasticity but highly absorbent. It is the ideal fabric for making garments for warmer weather.

Are you intrigued by a fabric that we haven't mentioned? Send us message via the 'Contact Kitty Brown' form and we will get back to you as soon as we can!